Fire on the ice
by Wen1
Summary: Scott and Jean, fifteenyear year old, do not know each other and are both high level artistic skaters. One knows that he’s a mutant, the other is unaware of it and the day her powers really appear, Jean’s life falls apart. JOTT, JOTT and JOTT lol
1. Chapter 1

**If you want to read the continuation, I'll need a good beta reader, quick but serious too. It's the first time I publish before the beta reading is ended, but it makes one year that I've finished this long long fic so I couldn't wait longer. Moreover that I've another one behind…**

**Situation:** No one, it's a sort of alternative universe, let's say that I've changed the past and future of some characters.

**Category** general, drama, romance

**Disclaimer **I don't own the X-men, neither the characters I use from the movie "_The cutting edge_", neither the videos of the ice-skating programs I used (and that you'll be able to see if you want to by following the links I'll give along the story. It's better, because it's indescribable), nor on the character Anton Pamchenko taken from the movie "the cutting edge' blah blah blah

**Writer's marks: **I practice ice-skating for the pleasure, I love ice dance and X-men, so I made something with my two passions. There can be improbabilities: with the fact that they are in high school at 15 years old (but I translate the fanfic from French into English, I had to simplify to the maximum, moreover that the technical terms of ice-skating must also be translated). Improbabilities also for putting the short and the long program of ice-skating the same day, and for other things like the number of trials and the judgement, but it's my fic, na ! lol

No seriously, it was: I write it without making researches or I don't write it at all (I was thinking about it since 9 months). I've put a lot of comment for the skating, I hate it during the true championships, but it was for the ones who wouldn't want or couldn't download or watch the videos ;-)

Moreover, by the time I had a phone call of an editor, I needed to work again on one of my novel so I've hastened the end a little more that I normally would have

As the link don't appear in the text, each time you'll see** (VIDEO)**,go to the address indicated in my profil and follow the instruction, I'll update progressively. Watch it if you have the possibility because it's better than the description which are loud in the fic and bring confusion and blabla, but I had to think about everyone.

DO NOT READ THIS FIC IF YOU DON'T LIKE ICE SKATING, because some parts are integrally consecrated to competitions or other, and of course this make of this fic, an alternative universe one.

So,good reading, tell me what you think!

Thanks to all the one who began to beta-read it

**Do not publish without my authorization, please**.

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**A week before the national championship for figure skating**

**Skating rink of Bayville,**

When Scott went to the Bayville skating rink at the break of dawn like he did every morning, he was surprised to see that that the rink was already occupied. It wasn't the first time, _but this time it was by a girl he didn't know or had seen before_. She was a young teenager of his age with red-hair attached into a bun. She was moving gracefully on the ice on the original soundtrack of the animated movie '_Anastasia'_. She was wearing training clothes, but something was emanating from her, something which he didn't have words to describe.

Scott leaned on the rail next to Ororo.

An older woman, also red-headed, was on the other side of the skating rink without leaving the girl out of her sight.

"She's gifted" said Storm after the skater had perfectly achieved a Biellmann spin.

"Da, she has strong potential" approved Anton Pamchenko, Scott's trainer and choreograph for five years.

He was Russian and had a strong accent, but with practice, that didn't pose any trouble for him to communicate to anyone anymore.

"But she expresses such sadness through her interpretation" Storm carried on.

"She has hard life, not only with the fact she is a female skater... you know, strict regime and all..."

"I had never seen her" said Scott, staring at her.

Storm passed a hand in front of his face.

"What?"

"You have never seen her, but she's bewitching you"

Scott made a mimicry saying something as _'you're saying something stupid'_, but he didn't answer. He was 15 year old, and girls were only starting to interest him.

Anton carried on without paying attention to them.

"She and her mother moved in Bayville one month ago. She has a divorced family, her father lives Illinois and she has also an older sister. She is selected for the senior national championship taking place here at the end of the week" answered the extradited Russian "But she's already won first place in junior world championships. She goes to Bayville high school"

" I was telling myself that I had yet caught a glimpse of her somewhere" said Scott in mid-voice

"You seem to be quite well informed Anton" smiled Storm.

"I've spoken with her trainer, very strict woman, this girl must be under terrible pressure"

"Is it that woman?" Ororo asked as she indicated her with a sign of her head.

"No, that is her mother, she also lets nothing pass to her"

The teenager moved as if she had not heard her mother and went on with her program. After a backward acceleration, she made another jump which she followed with a combination spin after a change of foot.

"Higher Jean, higher!"

The teenager made as if she had not heard and carried on her program. After a backward acceleration, She made another jump which she followed with a combination spin after a change of foot.

"You are not concentrating!"

This time, the teenager, stopped abruptly in a squealing of ice:

"How do you want me to concentrate? You keep on interrupting me each minute mom!"

"You must involve hard in it if you want to become a champion and I don't speak about juniors championships!"

"And what is I didn't want it? Did that never occurred you that I was skating for the pleasure? The competition, why not, but the medals and prices, it's your trick, not mine!" She answered as she walked over to the radio and switched it off

Scott couldn't help to think she had a strong temperament for a fifteen-year old girl.

"What are you doing? The training is not finished!"

"It is for me" answered Jean as she left the rink, running her fingers over the blades for removing the ice before putting the protections. "You can go now" she told to the trainer of the skater who was waiting.

"It's not up to you to decide! You're lucky it's me and not Lucinda today!"

"Stop howling please, I have a headache" said the teenager as she opened a bottle of water.

Scott had changed his sunglasses for a flexible version, but as classy as the other ones, before entering on the ice for warming up. The teenager mother's voice was still ringing out across the place:

"Again? It's lasting for weeks now, I'll bring you to Doctor Franz in order to examine you again"

"It'll go away, it comes and goes since…since you know when" ended Jean, her voice dying out at the end of the sentence.

"That will make eight years since you left the coma Jean, when will you...?"

"Please, do not spread out my private life in public!" Jean cut her off.

Her mother slapped her.

"Don't speak to me like that!" she shouted "I will wait for you in the cloakroom, don't linger!"

Jean sighed and sat down on the row of seats for recovering. The slap was still resonating into her pained head. She had again had the impression to hear voices, the training was driving her insane.

She watched the teenager on the ice, he seemed to be of her age and was rather handsome, but why was he carrying sunglasses? _Surely to give himself a style_, she thought.

"I'll come back in two hours Scott" said an elegant black woman with white hair…white??

Jean emptied half of her bottle of water and quickly swallowed a cereal bar knowing what would occur if her mother surprised her. Then, imagining the scene that she was going to make if she made her waiting too much, she grabbed her bag and left the steps as the music from the movie ' _matrix'_ was starting.

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**Xavier Institute **

"So, Anton didn't break him too much this time?" asked the Professor, seeing Ororo bringing Scott _back__to the institute_

"No, that's ok, I'm used to it now" said the young teenager "But he doesn't let me off lightly, that's for sure"

"Hey it's not juniors anymore bub, ya'll pit yourself against skaters of all ages" said Logan, entering in the room.

"Thank you Logan, I hadn't realized it at all…" _Scott replied sarcastically._

"Would ya've the wind up?"

"As you have just said, championships juniors and seniors, are completely different. Some skaters have already participated to this competition at many times, and have seen a lot more skating rinks traveling under their skates than me"

"You will succeed Scott " said Ororo

"Yeah, we'll see. Well I'll take a shower"

The others looked as he climbed the stairs.

"He acts strange"

"He met a girl" Ororo _said with a smile. _

- _"Really?" the others asked._

"Well '_meet'_ is a big word. Let's say that he saw her ending her training and has witnessed a row with her mother"

A'BAMF' resounded beside them

"Is she pretty?" asked Kurt.

"Would ya mind?" asked Logan "By the way, while I'm thinkin' about it don't ya have a certain drag of cleanin' to make Elf?"

"Yeah…"

BAMF

"Then?" asked Wolverine

"What?" asked Ororo.

"What does she looks like?"

"Logan!"

"Hey, I have the right to ask the question" he defended himself "Fair? Brown?"

"Redhead, but a fiery red, fifteen years old, I'd say five feet and one inch tall. She comes from Illinois, has divorced parents, has quite a temper and has won numerous competitions" cited Storm "Happy?"

"That's our Cyclops"

Kitty arrived

"Ororo, have you, like, purchased the tickets?"

"Yes for the short and free program male and female as promised and at the first rank as usual"

"Cool!" exclaimed Kitty.

Scott had the whole Institute supporting him at each competition, and for once that it happened in Bayville (and this thanks to the capacity of reception of 5000 seats of the skating rink usually used for the tournaments of hockey), they would not miss it. It was the occasion for watching all the competition, even the feminine part. As a matter of fact, usually they wouldn't have yet arrived at the skating rink for this trial or they would have left, in function of the day the masculine part was taking place.

"Ah, so we'll be able to see her" said Hank who accepted to use an image inducer for attending the championships.

"Who?"

"Nobody half-pint" grumbled Logan.

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**Six days later, Bayville high school**

Jean went to her locker. She was tired and had almost fallen asleep again during her French class. Fortunately the professor was informed and was understanding.

"Hello" said a voice that was unknown to her.

She looked in its direction and recognized the teenager who she had seen a few days ago.

"I did not introduce myself, I'm Scott, Scott Summers"

She _put_her books into her locker and answered _the teenager as she shook his outstretched hand_

"Jean Grey"

"Only two days left"

"Three for me, the female trial proceeds the day after the male one"

"Ah yes" remembered Scott, massaging his neck "It's your first senior national championship too?"

"Yes, and I've got the pressure _that _goes with_it_…"

A band of young people arrived in the corridor.

"Well well Summers, did you find a girlfriend?"

"Go away Matthews" _Scott replied as he glared _at him, or at less it was what it seemed.

"Will you allow me to introduce myself at least?" he asked, but it _was more of a statement rather than a question._

He turned toward Jean:

"Has someone told you already that you have wonderful eyes?" he smiled "I've never seen such a beautiful shade of green. I'm Duncan Matthews, but you must have heard about me" he said with confidence.

"No, sorry"

"Ah?" he asked surprised before finding a way out "It's because you must be new here, if not I would have noticed you long ago. You should not hang out with some loser like Summers, I'm sure he hasn't told you that he practices figure skating" he said with scorn, _All girls like footballers_, he said to himself. "If you stay with me I'll show you who are the persons worthy to be known, and…"

"No, thank you, I'm perfectly able to judge people by myself" Jean answered "And I do know that he practices ice-skating because I practice it too"

"Oh, but sometimes, ice-skating is very well too…" he attempted to catch up; he had a reputation to keep, _especially_ in front of his group.

Scott wasn't saying anything and seemed to obviously appreciate how Jean was handling him.

"Good_recovery__" __Jean_ pointed out by referring to Duncan's unsuccessful attempt "But drop it, I'm not interested"

"Bah, you'll change your mind, well, let's go guys" answered Duncan before moving away

"Oh, but what brazen and conceited is that guy!" said Jean

Scott couldn't help to laugh.

"What?"

"You don't realize, but you must be the first girl has rebuffed _Duncan Matthews_ like that"

"You can't tell me that idiot has admirers apart from his gorillas?"

Scott smiled again, decidedly, he liked this girl, she wasn't like the other ones.

"A whole herd" he answered.

Jean looked at him perplexed, before saying almost for herself.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm normal"

"If you want my opinion you are, at least you aren't blinded by his position of captain of the team of football"

"Me and the popularity. I don't stay long enough in the same school or at least I don't spend enough time into it to worry myself with that" she said

The ringing resounded

"Ah I must go" said Scott "I'm glad to have had a little conversation with you, and good luck at the championship if we don't see each other until there"

"Thank you, the same to you"

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review please :p 


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to Different child for the beta reading of this part and to all the reviewers_

**(VIDEO) **recall : each time you see it, follow the link on my profile ;)

Oh and normally the text isn't like that, the comments by example are near to each other, like a block, here there is space, I hope it won't disturb you

Wen

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**That very evening at the skating rink of Bayville after training:**

"No"

"But mom, it's proven that relaxing itself the day before a competition allows to evacuate the full of stress"

"She's not wrong" said Jean's coach.

Jean was surprised to see her trainer on her side so she took advantage of it:

"I'm not asking to go into a nightclub just to assist with the masculine trials. Besides, I won't be able to practice at all during that time"

"Yes but you could rest young girl" Luncida Lis said

Well, THAT was well her trainer

"Resting with the pressure I have on my shoulders?"

"Jean you will not see the male competition"

"Mom I never ask for anything! I see the other girls of my age having fun, eating what they want and living their life. But you never let me go out!"

"You have more important things to do"

Jean reflected a few moments before deciding to use her trump card:

"You would like it if I won this competition, wouldn't you?"

"I **want** you to win this competition" her mother strongly agreed.

"Yes, you want…But you know that I don't do competitions just to win. I do them to put myself against others and to call my abilities in question..."

"What do you mean? Are you blackmailing us?"

"If I have to, yes" answered Jean "After all, what am I risking? Being deprived of television? Of going out? It's already the case"

"Jean you are impossible" said her mother who felt trapped nevertheless.

_/ She's right, we don't have a choice, we can't put more pressure on her than there already is/_

"Exactly" said Jean, persuaded to answer a remark of her trainer.

"At least you recognize it" noticed her mother.

"That you're pressuring me?"

"No, what are you talking about? I'm referring to the fact that you are impossible"

_But then...? Oh no! I must have imagined that I was hearing voices again_, Jean realized.

"We will think about it and I'll give you the answer tomorrow" said Elaine "Go get changed now"

/_She's becoming capricious now... ah that is the skating rink is free, I have to inform my skater..._ /

Jean winced and caught her head between her hands.

"Jean? Your headaches again?" asked her mother.

She nodded.

"Take two aspirins in the cloakroom ok?"

Jean nodded again and moved away, the pain had faded as suddenly as it came. But what was happening to her? Moreover that it wasn't as if she was hearing things out of context…it was always in relation with the place where she was. She needed to force her mother and her trainer to settle down after this competition. She needed to rest.

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**Day of the seniors's male trial of the national championship **

The seats around the skating rink were full. Competitors from all states and of all ages were present.

Jean had obtained the authorization to see the competition. It was one of her first evenings for herself. Her father and her sister had come with her; they were there to attend the competition tomorrow and had wanted to take advantage of the occasion to spend some family time together. Her mother hadn't come. It was Jean's coach who had supported the idea of the young teenager.

They seats were a long way from the rink since they had bought the tickets at the last moment, but it didn't matter. Jean had located some students from Bayville who seemed to be interested in ice-skating. She also saw the woman with the white hair, whom she had caught a glimpse of a few days earlier, in addition to a whole group of people including a bald man in a wheel chair.

The championship began. The skaters followed one after another the imposed program, which counted less for the mark but allowed to be well placed for the long program. Some of them fell and others made perfect performances, as in any competition. Then it was Scott's turn (The commentators gave an explanation for the unusual glasses: an eye condition. Jean understood a little better why he kept on carrying them even when nobody was there to see him). He obtained some good marks much to surprise of the commentators because he was –like Jean– a kind of outsider as a new skater in the senior championship.

There was an interlude, after which the competition went on. While a twenty-six-yearold young man was skating on a classical music, Jean saw Scott near the rail. He had changed his clothes for a rather futuristic costume which looked like leather but wasn't. His trainer was giving him some last recommendations. He had brown-grey hair, was bearded and wore half-moon glasses in addition to a beret. Jean recognized him. He was a Russian, Anton Pamchenko, one of the best talent-finders of the world

The other skater finished his program. Scott, who was the next, removed his blades-protectors and stepped on the ice but remained by the rail because the other competitor had not yet received his marks.

Then it was his turn:

_"And here is again the teenager Scott Summers who made a strong impression during his short program. I point out that he is just fifteen and that it is his first national championship in the senior category "_said a commentator.

_"Yes, but he isn't stranger to the juniors championships where he won many prizes in which the world championship junior last year. He's a promising skater, but let's watch his performance immediately" _approved the woman who was also commentating.

"Go Scott!!!!" shouted voices coming form the row of seats.

Scott shook his coach's hand and went towards the center of the rink after having greeted the crowd. The soundtrack of '_Matrix'_ began, and he combined rhythmic and very technical figures. The slow song's passage didn't waste anything of his performance

The commentators had a great time:

_"Look at these jumps with so much impulse! He goes high, he turns quickly..." _

_"... Yeah wow…"_

"_Attention, he will make a triple toe... perfect! .. triple flip! Yeah, those are professional jumps"_

_"And a combination, double and quad toe, the quad was beautiful... "_

_"Yes for his age it's very promising and look at this reception, that seems easy...sit spin, change, sit spin "_

_"... the crowd is with him, they applaud in unison... "_

_"... second slow passage... this skater is very expressive... "_

_"Impressive, see the skill and the speed of this steps work, they must have needed hours of training... "_

_"... Triple salchow! Wonderful!" _

_"A flawlessperformance which should ensure him a place on the podium"_

**(VIDEO) **

Scott greeted the crowd. He knew that he had made a good performance and the marks confirmed it by placing him in first place. He had just won the national championship and was the youngest skater to achieve it in several years. The crowd was applauding and the members of the Institute threw themselves on him. And his trainer embraced him.

_"A very promising young man that we will see again at the exhibition the day after tomorrow"_ said a commentator during the medal ceremony.

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**Next day, female trial of the national senior championship**

The next evening, the roles were reversed. For the first time ever Scott had wanted to assist to the female trial. He was in the first ranks with the members of the Institute who could finally see who was this girl who was obviously the reason of the young teenager's presence.

When Jean was not on the ice, her mother and her coach did not release her. She didn't seem at ease and obviously under pressure. However, once on the ice, she was glowing. She wasn't skating for anyone else than herself and the public. She succeeded in her short program, and an hour later, she was entering in the rink for her long program, which would be the determining factor.

Fitting, skin-coloured tights covered her legs and her hair was tied in a tight bun from which no lock escaped.

She greeted the crowd while skating towards the center of the rink.

_"And again here comes the young Jean Grey who made a perfect short program which placed her in the top of the table"_

_"_Succeeding being placed before the last skater will not be_ easy, but she seems relaxed"_

"_Yes and she's also one of the youngest entrants in the competition. She will turn fifteen years old in only one month and a half. This is also the first time she's participated in a national championship senior" _

_"In fact, her career is somewhat similar to the new national male champion, Scott Summers" _

_" No, not completely, she has also been very noticed in the juniors championships, but she has practiced figure-skating for more than ten years!"_

_"Let's see what she will show us to the original soundtrack of the animated movie 'Anastasia '... "_

The music started and Jean began her choreography. She seemed to be completely different now, she was smiling, and she was in her element.

_"... She takes it very seriously and connects extensions with a lot of flexibility and grace..."_

_"... Attention, first combination of jumps, triple lutz and double loop...yeah beautifully landed!"_

"…_Triple flip...connecting steps here…"_

"_The next jump is an axel, she shouldn't have any trouble with that, perfect…"_

"_She knows she has done it!"_

"_Look at the joy on her face…"_

"…_she looks so young, yet she skates with such maturity. She has the heart of a champion and really seems to appreciate her first trial in a senior championship"_

"_Last combination spins"_

"_A perfect long program which should ensure her a place on the podium!" _

**(VIDEO) **

The crowd was applauding. When Jean left the skating rink, her sister and her father embraced her. However, her mother and her trainer remained reserved. Only the marks were important to them. They accompanied Jean to the bench where the marks were given and only when it was announced that Jean was keeping her spot did they allowed themselves to congratulate her.

But another competitor had to pass. Jean remained relaxed but not the two women next to her. They were relieved only when the skater fell, even though she recovered well in the next part of her program

_"A beautiful performance by Laurence Hint, but, even though it engaged me, it did not have the emotion the young Grey transmitted us..."_

_"... Yes, this skater has points in advance, but the fall will remove some to her, moreover the marks for the technical quality and those for the performance and the interpretation shouldn't go up so high as Jean's"_

Right then the marks were given.

_"I think you're right, Laurence Hint carried out all the compulsory figures, less the fall, but paradoxically, and in spite of the fact that she's older than Jean Grey, she must still work her technique and her flexibility to accomplish the change"_

"_The marks are cutting it short... the judges clearly place Laurence Hint in fourth place which does not change anything at the podium" _

Applause resounded once more.

_"Definitely what a year! Our two new figure skating national champions are both teenagers of fifteen years old, we had never seen that"_

_"Yes especially since there were a lot of good skaters participating, but they didn't steal their title. Perhaps these two young people will bring us world medals for the competitions they are automatically selected for"_

_"And perhaps even Olympic medals... "_

The next day, during the exhibition, Scott and Jean found one moment to congratulate each other. They were again interviewed by journalists, with the result that all of Bayville found out that the figure skating national champions attended Bayville High. Other than a handful of students, only a few of them were interested in this sport, school didn't change at all once the first day ended.

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Review please !

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry for the delay, I was waiting for the correction but it was really too long to come so I post as it was, sorry for the mistakes, maybe next part will be corrected

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_

**Five days later, skating-rink cloakroom**

Jean was taking a break after three hours of ice-skating, it was 8.15 a.m., and she had only forty-five minutes to get change and go to school. She had asked her mother for a break after the national championship but she hadn't obtained it. She felt tired, she hadn't even had a resting day after the competition and she kept on waking up at 5.30 a.m. for five days. Sometimes she saw Scott's trainer, but he was alone. Apparently the teenager had a break.

"Lucinda says that you have to work out more Jean"

"Mom, I've just won the national championship, don't you remember? It was five days ago, after months of intensive training" Jean answered tiredly "I'm not superhuman, I can't take it anymore and I really do need a break"

"**We've already spoken about it** "

"But you're not the one who is on the ice every morning, noon and evenings, the one who must combine it with school and homework, the one who must watch her weight and never have some spare time, the one who must do muscle building, jogging and dance!" said Jean, losing her temper "You, you're satisfied with leaving me here and to come and fetch me, to eat what you want, to leave when you want, to replace Mrs Lis from time to time and to get glory, that's all!"

The lights slightly fluctuated.

"Pay attention Jean" her mother warned her.

"Why? Do you see me sometimes only as your daughter? No. Public holidays?: it's training, Christmas and my birthday?: training; if I'm sick?: training again" carried on the teenager in a weary voice "I'm beginning to lose the pleasure of skating. By wanting too much, you're risking to lose everything mom"

_/Perhaps I do push her a little too much, I should let her take a break/_

"I would like it mom, because I fell asleep several times during classes these last days"

Elaine remained quiet:

"What would you like?"

"What you have just said: to let me take a break"

"But I haven't said anything" pointed out her mother

"Of course you have, just now"

"I assure you that I haven't said anything"

"But I heard it" said the teenager.

"But I haven't said anything, I just thought it"

"Please mom, I can't read your thoughts, you didn't realized that you where saying it out loud that's all"

"Yes, surely" answered Elaine.

_/The fact remains that it's not the first time... / _

This time, Jean ignored what she was hearing, she was somewhat unbalanced. And she was also realizing that it wasn't the first time.

"Can you pass me the bottle of water please?" she asked "I'm thirsty"

_/ Getyour act together Elaine, it's not possible/_

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"The bottle of water, plea…."

She didn't finish her sentence, the bottle of water was no longer in its place. It had slid along the bench toward her.

"But what…?" asked Jean, realizing without understanding the influence she had upon the object which fell on the bench, rolled and fell on the ground "Here, I'm hallucinating now…"

"I saw it too" said her mother.

Jean panicked. There had to be a trick, someone was trying to scare her.

"There must be a string"

"There isn't" answered Elaine who had collected the bottle "You wanted it, and it came"

"Don't say such things, it's not possible!"

"And two days ago, when that China mug fell from the rack and landed on the ground without breaking, that was also impossible"

"Sometimes glasses fall on tiled floor without breaking, it happens" argued Jean.

"Not with China mug, it's too fragile" answered her mother with a strange voice as she backed off "It's you who are doing all of that, I don't know how but it's you... you must be possessed"

"No, somebody must be playing tricks on us and…"

A headache more violent than the other took over Jean.

_/The trainer and the young Jean are still there? They keep on forcing her to work? They want her to take a disliking of ice-skating or what?...That's it, she's possessed, my daughter is a devilish freak... I swear that I recounted the cash yesterday evening, and it misses $20, oh my boss will kill me... She is half anorexic... horror... to put $20... eat... I can't believe it... nobody will notice anything...hgjgrezar…zerzesds…zkjghjzhgfer… / _

Jean had knelt down, her head between her hands so strong was the pain. She was afraid, terrified by what was happening.

_/…The devil is inside of her…but who the hell could have taken the money?.../_

_Make it stop, please, _Jean begged.

All of a sudden, all the lockers in the locker room opened with an ear-deafening explosion of noise. Fortunately, they were empty, since the bottle of water had flown off to crash into a wall, there was no doubt that what they could have contained would have become dangerous.

Elaine Grey was petrified of terror and horror. Suddenly Jean sighed deeply and reopened her eyes.

"Mom?" she asked, looking for comfort, tears of pain and fear were gliding along her cheeks.

"We're leaving" she answered in a cold voice, without touching her.

Jean rose, and discovered with stupor the mess the cloakroom had become.

"Hurry up!"

Jean took her bag and joined her mother. She got into the car and her mother drove her to school in silence, without even addressing a glance at her. It was only after having stopped in front of the building and stretched herself to open the door on the passenger side that she said in a cold voice full with hatred:

"Out of here freak!! You're possessed by the devil! I don't want to see you ever again, do you hear me?!! Out of my sight and my life!!!!"

"But mom... " answered Jean, the tears running along her cheeks, she didn't know if they were due to the shock of what had just happened or to **the burning black rage **of her mother and her sharp words

"GO AWAY!!!!! YOU'RE NOT A PART OF THE FAMILY ANYMORE!!!! YOU, DISGUSTING FREAK!!!" Elaine screamed by pushing her with disgust out of the car before throwing her bag to her and closing again the car door.

In a squealing of tires she had left. Jean was stricken with shock. She rose up and gathered her books and her sport belongings which had scattered. Few students had viewed the scene and none had paid attention to the reason of the argument, the ringing had just resounded. Jean wiped away her tears and went through the classes thinking that it would go away, her mother was going to settle down.

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It was midday all the students had left their classes and were about to go to eat at their house or at the self-service cafeteria. Since the halls and the canteen were common for the primary school and the high-school students, the X-Men could gather:

"And then Kitty wanted to make us taste a new recipe of her invention" Kurt told Rogue who hadn't yet heard the story of the weekend spent with the Wagner family.

"And?" she asked

"I tried to warn my parents, but they thought that I was exaggerating!"

"You were exaggerating!" Kitty defended herself.

"Tell them the end Kurt" Scott stated even though he knew it already

"So outcome: we had to call an ambulances to take them along to the hospital. Diagnostic: food poisoning "

Kitty pouted, but the others laughed.

"By the way, speaking of food, I'm starving" said Kurt.

"What a shock" Rogue muttered, before she saw Jean afar "Does she still have to leave school between midday and two o'clock?"?" she asked.

"Who?" asked Kitty.

"Jean, the skater" answered the mutant "the competition is over, and Scott has a break"

"Anton says that her mother doesn't loosen the pressure on her and that's worrying him" mused the teenager.

"No wonder. I don't know how she does it, but if it was me, I would crack at this rate" replied Rogue

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Jean went to the usual place where usually her mother waited for her, but there was nobody. She waited twenty minutes, but still nothing.

Then she decided to walk to the skating rink which wasn't far by taking shortcuts, but when she entered the foyer she had a surprise...

Lucinda Lis spotted her and approached her:

"Sorry Miss Grey, but your mother has put an end to our contract. I'm not your coach anymore and you no longer have a right to come here out of the opening hours."

"What? Is this a joke?"

"You should know perfectly well by now that I never joke" the coach answered coldly "It was signed this morning a little after your training. I don't know what you did to your mother but she barely dared to speak about you as her daughter"

"I didn't do anything to her..." answered Jean.

"You must leave now, young girl. Don't make me have to call the security…"

_/Elaine was really infuriated, she must have behaved capriciously again…What's up there?...I should try ice-skating one day, just to see…They believe that itt amuses me to perform the zamboni eight times every day?...what…th …..an…..esdf….fggezdg….fdgsfg /_

Jean caught again her head between her hands.

"Miss Grey, are you alright?"

_/she won't _faint on me_…anyway I'm not responsible for her any more... and what if I put music it'd be less tedious... yeah I...go...th…eajgahgrthgeab azegazgrjhrglazghgr/ _

"ENOUGH!!" screamed Jean.

The light bulbs in the hall burst before Jean ran out of the place until she got out of breath. She couldn't stand these voices any more, thousands of voices which penetrated into her head, she was tired of them and of the objects moving by themselves, of the bulbs exploding, of her mother who threw her out and banned her from the skating rink, it was too much...

"It's surely a misunderstanding, a whim of anger" said Jean to herself half an hour later before heading again for the high school, with her stomach empty.

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That evening she found herself again without training. She covered the two miles separating her from her house on foot and in the dark. When she arrived in front of her home, the lights were off and the car wasn't parked. Jean tried to enter but the door was locked. She used her key, but it wouldn't enter the keyhole.

"Calm down, it's just the fatigue, you must be knocking the wrong door, all the houses look alike"

She stepped back to see the number. 11. No, this was the right house.

"Mom?" shouted Jean before looking through the windows. What she saw froze her blood: the house was empty, there was nothing left inside "She can't have done that…" said Jean to herself.

She caught a glimpse of a teenager of her age who was walking his dog, and went to ask him if he knew something

"My grandfather told me they moved out today" He answered "and that the woman seemed in an extreme hurry"

"Moved...?" repeated Jean disbelieving and aghast

The dog started to bark at her until its owner forced it to shut up.

"Yep, did you know her?"

"I thought I knew her... Do you... do you know where I can find a phone booth?"

"Yes, at the end of the street"

Jean felt a headache coming and she knew what it meant. She thanked the teenager in mid-voice and went to the phone-cabin. She used her card and dialed the number of her father's house:

_"Sorry, the number you're calling for is not listed anymore" _stated the answering machine

She tried, her fingers trembling, the number of her mother's cell and heard the same phrase.

Jean put back the receiver and slowly let her body slip on the ground. It had to be an error, a bad joke; they couldn't have abandoned her...

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Review please ! 


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry again for the delay, and sorry again for the mistakes, maybe next part will be corrected

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_

During two days Jean lived in the illusion that her mother was going to come back. She wore the same clothes, arrived at school sooner than usual and left it later because at least she was warm there, even if she hadn't eaten anything yet.

The first day she had swapped her telephone-card for a bag of chips. But that wasn't enough, even if she was used to a perpetual diet. In fact, while she was thinking about it, Jean realized it was the first time that she had eaten chips.

Her headaches remained violent. When she felt that she was going to crack she asked to go to the toilets or to the infirmary and she even missed a class and forged a false absence note for the teacher.

The second evening she left her naive illusion and finally and fully realized what was happening to her. She cried even more in the alley next to "her" house where she slept, insulating herself with old newspapers from the cold, more chilling than the previous day. She had a sore throat and a headache, felt feverish, and overall, she was afraid. No, she was terrified. She thought that she was becoming insane or that her mother was right…Maybe she was possessed?

She rose to walk a little in order to warm up. Unbeknownst to her, three older men noticed her and began to follow her. She heard voices, bad voices, and had horrible flashes in her head. Those men didn't have good intentions; she felt it

She walked faster, but they kept up with her pace and shouted to her:

"Hey pretty one! Don't leave like that, we've something to propose to you..."

"Yeah come here..."

"I'm sure that we'll get along…"

She was invaded by images even more vicious and started to run right ahead. They followed her, slowly gaining ground. She turned one corner as soon as she could, hoping to lose them but she found herself in a blind alley and, when she turned around, the three men were there. She backed off as much as she was able as they were coming towards her.

"Hey, pretty, pretty, pretty, why were you running like that?" asked one of the men, leering at her in a little reassuring way.

"Leave me alone! Go away!" shouted Jean as she searched for some object for throwing it at them.

"Hey she's a wild one, it's even better" said another man.

She caught a stick, she was ready to defend herself even if she was weakened by a two days fast.

"We'll have to teach you who gives the orders here..."

They separated to surround her. Jean managed to strike them but they easily had the upper hand and slammed her on the ground, her hands pinned at the top of her head. One of them sat down on her and pulled out a knife.

"If you ask for help or if you scream, I will kill you"

Straight after he sliced her sweater. Jean had started to cry. No, she wouldn't bear it.

"Hmmm Sexy" he said.

"No, please, go away!"

He cut her bra.

"No! For pity's sake!"

She received a strong slap that split her lip. The man slapped her again for showing off his strength. Her headache intensified.

"Didn't you understand what I just said? Shut up and stop struggling if you want to live!"

_/It's useful, they always believe that/_

Jean opened widely her eyes. The man had the strange feeling that she had heard him, but it was impossible. He gathered back his thoughts and carried on. Then Jean knew one thing: whatever was the source of this voice, she had to listen to it and no matter what, she preferred to get murdered rather than enduring it. Her headache was terribly painful

"You're lying! LEAVE ME ALONE!!" She screamed before seeing, perplexed, the three men being launched upwards, smashed on the walls, and falling downwards, out cold.

Jean didn't reflect upon it. She rose up, kept her sweater closed with one hand and ran away to hide in her alley, shaking and in tears.

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**Xavier Institute, later**:

"Finally!" shouted Professor Xavier while pressing one button.

"Cerebro is finally repaired?" guessed Ororo, who was passing near the room,.

"Yes, I've been searching after the cause of the breakdown for nearly two weeks..."

He was interrupted by the computer's alarm.

"Well, it doesn't remain idle " Storm pointed out.

"It located a manifestation from a strong mutant an hour ago" he read before putting the helmet back on his head.

Ororo remained motionless as she had learned to do several years earlier. After one minute, Charles reopened his eyes.

"And?"

"Here, at Bayville" he answered as his hands removed the helmet "A girl named Jean Grey"

"Jean Grey? She is the skater who won the National Championship, just like Scott" exclaimed an astonished Ororo. "Logan and the others must just be leaving the cinema. We must contact him"

The Professor followed her to the Control Room where she made a connection with Logan's intercom.

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**Center of Bayville at the same time:**

The intercom buzzed as the group was leaving the cinema. Logan pulled it out of his pocket:

"_Wolverine?_"

"An emergency Storm?" He answered

Though, it was the Professor who spoke.

"_Cerebro is repaired, it has picked up a mutant manifestation one hour ago, it's still active but it's weaker. It's a new mutant, she seems telepathic and telekinetic and completely lost. Her name is Jean Grey_"

"Oh shit, ya mean the skater?"

"_Yes_"

"What's up?" Scott's voice sounded in the background.

"Wait bub" answered Logan.

The Professor carried on:

_"She seems to oscillate between consciousness and unconsciousness, I can't locate her precisely, I can only tell you that she is near the houses 7 to 17 of the 'flowered' district. I fear that she's in danger"_

"We aren't far from there. We're leavin' immediately Chuck" Logan replied before hanging up.

"What's up?" repeated Scott. By _'the skater'_ he had guessed they were talking about Jean

"It seems that yer skater is a mutant. And we're goin' to fetch her" announced Logan without giving them time to reply.

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All of them got into the X-Van. Logan explained to them the situation in greater detail as he was driving towards the flowered district. As soon as they arrived, he parked the car.

Considering the situation, they dispersed and yelled Jean's name, but they didn't obtain any answer. Finally Kitty found her by looking into an alley near the house number eleven. It was a dark and cold little street with the ground covered with papers of all kind.

"She's here!" she warned her friends before moving closer her "Jean?"

She was curled up on herself, blood dripping from her lower lip. The remainder X-Men arrived and Logan approached Jean:

"Hey kid, do ya hear me?" he asked. He frowned in worry and touched her forehead. "She's got fever and she's freezin'. Scott, warn Hank that he'll have a patient…Wait, she seems to have been beaten…" he trailed off as he realized that her sweater and bra had been cut.

He growled and smelled the air.

"What's the trouble?" asked Scott.

"Bring me a blanket" he ordered before talking to the unconscious Jean "I smell that they're not far. They won't get away with it so easily, kid"

Scott brought the blanket and Logan wrapped Jean up in it before hoisting her up with his arms. He couldn't help but realize how light she was.

"Scott, put her at the back of the X-Van, I've got to settle a matter. I'll be right back."

He handed Jean over to Cyclops who was likewise surprised for her weightlessness. Absent-mindedly Kurt caught Jean's bag before joining his partners in the vehicle. Scott accommodated Jean on the back seats and he did his best to fasten her seatbelt. Kitty, Kurt and Rogue settled down on the remainder seats.

Some minutes later, Logan came back and started the X-Van without saying a word.

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**A few minutes later... **

Jean regained consciousness slightly thanks to the heat emanated from the blanket. Slowly she realized she was in a vehicle.

"…Mum….is that you…?" she mumbled as the nightmare started again and that the voices were coming back

_/ poor one, she's frozen... why was she outside?... she's only a kid, she... / _

The pain spearing her brain was terrible. All of a sudden, something happened; she heard a squealing of tires, moans and somebody yelling with difficulty for a certain Rogue to do something. She felt a touch, a shock resembling an electric jolt, and fell back into unconsciousness.

"Wow" said Logan after stopping the vehicle.

"I have the sensation of having been stricken in my head by a soccer ball" moaned Kurt.

"No it's, like, my head that you knocked when Logan braked" Kitty retorted as she rubbed her crown

"It was a good idea askin' Rogue to touch her, Slim" said Logan.

"She didn't control her power and I didn't want to slap her" answered Scott as Logan started the car again "At least, now we're sure, she's a telepath".

"Oh my god" said Rogue

"What?"

"She was abandoned, her own mother abandoned her, she threw her out in front of the school, moved the same day and changed her phone numbers" answered Rogue. When she drained partially Jean's powers had also collected some recent memories.

"But that's, like, awful" said Kitty "When did this, like, happen?"

"Two days ago, when her powers blossomed"

"Two days????" Scott repeated "But why didn't she said anything? We don't have the same classes and we've only spoken to each other twice, but I think that I am the only one she knows at school"

"She couldn't believe it. She was hopeless" answered Rogue

"As we have been when we, like, discovered our powers" Kitty sadly pointed out

"But it's not all, three men attacked her"

"That's settled kid; anyway, she was able to defend herself" Logan frowned.

"I know that. Is that why you left?"

"Yeah, I knew they weren't far. I don't know what she did to them, but the three of them were out cold. A policeman was talking with the neighbors has arrested them" he said, without revealing that he had forced one of the men to admit the rape of the young daughter of other resident, which, with Jean's attempted rape, would assure their imprisonment. "The skater will get out of this with quite a fright and one or two bruises," he concluded.

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**Xavier Institute, 11 p.m.**

The Professor had sent everyone to bed for now. He went to the infirmary to ask Hank how the girl was doing it:

"She's suffering of inanition" began Hank "Anton had already told us about the pressures which the females skaters undergo, but according to Rogue she has hardly eaten anything for two days. She has a cold and a bad angina, but overall she's exhausted as much physically as mentally. I've placed her under perfusion and given her antibiotics as well as vitamins to help her struggle against her angina. Nevertheless she should sleep for some hours"

"And her attack?" asked the Professor.

"As for the cut on her lips… it won't leave any trace, but she'll have a bruise on her face during some days. They haven't done anything else to her"

"Thank you Hank. I will erect some mental shields to give her tortured mind some respite" told the powerful telepath "Then, I want you to move her to a recovering room"

"Of course" answered Beast.

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**Two days later**

The next day, Jean didn't wake up. She was really exhausted and needed to catch up on many hours of missing sleep that even the habit wasn't able to break. The bruises had swollen: one on her right cheek, near her mouth, the other near her left eye.

Around 5p.m., two days after her arrival, Hank came down to see how was his patient when she started to stir.

Jean felt warmed and heard a grave but soft voice encouraging her to open her eyes. Finally she did it and…..

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

... screamed of terror.

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Review please ! 


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry for the delay, I was waiting for the correction but it didn't come, so I post like it is again, sorry for the mistakes, maybe next part will be corrected. For the moment the parts had yet been corrected a long time ago, but I made some changes. The next one won't be so much "corrected" so if you're interested in beta reading, contact me

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_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

... screamed of terror.

Beast realized that he was frightening her:

"Please, don't worry, I'm not dangerous. You... you… you have fainted" he stated, upset

"Hank?" asked the Professor, wheeling in the room

"She awoke and frightened. I didn't realize my appearance" Beast excused himself "Not the best way to enter into the mutant world…"

"No, indeed" said Charles "Don't worry my friend, I will erase this incident from her memory. Considering that her powers have just bloomed she shouldn't have it firmly rooted" he added before placing a hand on his temple and the other upon Jean's forehead.

When he was done, he declared:

"Her mind is calmer than yesterday. The shields that I have built had alleviated her. I don't think she was sleeping anymore in this condition."

"Oh Charles, about her powers" said Hank while he handed over a file to him "I have performed tests. She is an Omega class mutant "

"Like Scott..." said the Professor, amazed.

"Yes"

"Fortunately we have found her" he told "without assistance, considering the strength her genes predict her powers will have, her mind wouldn't have been able to bear such a pressure. She would have gone insane or could have fallen into a coma"

"Or Magneto could have recruited her"

"Yes, there also was that risk" admitted the Professor.

After a few minutes of reflection, he asked Hank to leave and pushed Jean to awake again by telepathy.

"Hello Jean" he said when he saw her opening her eyes.

Jean turned her head and saw a middle-aged bald man on a wheel chair, who she had seen in the last championship. He had a piercing gaze but with a great tenderness emanating from his eyes.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

"You are in the Xavier Institute"

"Institute?" repeated Jean "You'll cure me, won't you?" she asked in a begging voice, thinking that she was in some kind of clinic.

"No Jean, I won't cure you for the simple reason that, except for your angina and your weight problem, you're not sick" he answered calmly.

"I'm possessed, I'm a freak"

"No, you're a mutant Jean"

"What's the difference?"

"You were born with an extra gene, the X-gene. It's neither a genetic error nor a deterioration, it's a step in the human evolution" said the powerful telepath.

"Evolution? I'm an abomination, I hear voices, objects move when I need them, I'm possessed"

"You have a gift Jean, two in fact" he contradicted her "telekinesis, which allows you to move objects with your mind. And perhaps more, I don't know, you're the first one to have these powers... "

"Are there others?" Jean cut him off, incredulous.

The Professor smiled:

"There aren't a lot of us and unfortunately two _'clans'_ have formed: one side thinks that mutants are the future dominant species and must become it as soon as possible. This philosophy is preached by Magneto, a mutant who has the power to control metal and magnetic fields. I lead the other '_clan'_. My philosophy consists in humans and mutants can coexist but that it's not the time, the world isn't ready yet"

The Professor made a pause before carrying on:

"By the way, I have told you where you were but not who I was" he recalled "My name is Charles Xavier. My students call me Professor Xavier or Professor, but I don't have any preference "

"Students?"

"Yes, '_Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'_ is a kind of cover. In fact it enrolls mutants whenever we discover them. For now I run the boarding school, but here, three professors and I teach the young mutants how to control their powers"

"But why am I the only mutant in my family?"

"We don't know, the X-gene seems to be skipping some generations sometimes"

"Which is my other... gift?" asked Jean, whom all of it seemed unreal.

"Telepathy, just like me, I was starting to feel a little alone" smiled Charles "the voices you hear are not hallucinations, they are thoughts. You'll learn how to channel them to not hear them anymore. But this power goes far beyond it, and you'll discover it rather soon. However, psychic powers, meaning the ones involve the mind, are the most difficult to bear and you, you have two of them, which is really rare. Moreover you're a mutant with strong potential, which we call _'Omega class_'. This category is not ordinary; in fact I know only four Omega-class mutants, counting me. Another of them is here and the last is Magneto"

Jean remained quiet for a few moments. Everything was confusing her, swirling in her head. To tell the truth she wasn't thinking that by "_another one is here_" the Professor was speaking about someone else than her.

"How did you find me?"

"We have a computer, or rather a quite special machine which I called Cerebro. It locates the presence and the manifestations of new mutants and amplifies my powers to enable me to situate them more precisely" Charles explained before carrying on in a sad tone "I'm sorry, Jean. If it had not broken down two weeks ago, I would have located you earlier, as soon as your powers surfaced, and I would have been able to talk to your mother…"

"How do you know? Did you read my mind?" asked Jean

"No, you must know I never enter in someone else's mind without permission," answered Charles with calm "In the vehicle was bringing you here you suffered what we call a psychic attack. One of my students, whom you must know by sight like all the others, is capable to drain other mutants' powers and to use them. You lost consciousness and released the hold you had involuntarily taken on my team" he continued. "But Rogue doesn't only copy powers, she also collects at the same time remnants of the personality and memories of her victim. So it's how she found out. But the most important and urgent thing was freeing you of the pressure"

The fact of hearing it said by a nearly stranger broke a dam inside her, and tears flowed down her cheeks.

"My mother has abandoned me, the phone numbers aren't working anymore, what will I become?"

"You can stay here. You'll have a room, clean clothes, food and our assistance to learn how to control your powers"

"But I don't have any money. All that I've earned is blocked on accounts that won't be accessible for me until my eighteenth birthday "said Jean

"I don't ask anything in exchange"

"I don't want pity "

Charles shook his head.

"Jean, I founded this school with the goal to help young mutants. Some of them were abandoned at their birth, others have their biological or adoptive family and others are orphans, but nobody pays anything" he said to her with softness, before going on "Jean, you must know that if you are not being assault by thoughts at this moment, it's because I've planted shields in your mind, but they won't last forever. You'll have to learn how to control your powers and build mental blocks around you own mind, and I can teach you how. You are free to leave if you want, but..."

"... But to go where?" said Jean.

The Professor sighed out of compassion. He placed his hand on her shoulder:

"Here you'll be accepted for what you are, nobody will judge you and you'll find people who will listen to you when you'll need it" he added, before changing the subject "Even if you've slept for thirty-six hours, you need to rest. I'll ask someone to bring you some food later and we'll speak again about all of it."

He pivoted his armchair and headed towards the door.

"Professor?" asked Jean.

"Yes?"

"I've got a strange feeling, a flicker of vague memory happening right here" she said "I was awakening and there was a huge furry blue beast"

Charles looked at her with interest.

"I didn't think that you would remember" he admitted "I erased it from your memory. I usually don't do it, but it was really not the best way to put you at ease. Normally telepaths have the faculty to never forget anything, but considering that your powers are recent I thought that it'd last longer" he said with a smile "But as I've said to you, you are destined to become powerful"

"Then this... thing... exists?" asked Jean.

" You have to know that not all the mutants have a human appearance" began the Professor. "Some of them have a tongue of more than nine-feet-long like the Toad, a young mutant on the side of Magneto; others have a scaly, blue skin and are able to take any appearance like Mystique, another one of Magneto's allies. Her son, Kurt, is in my school and has blue fur, pointed ears and a tail; some students nickname him '_the Elf_'. An image inductor, one of my inventions, allows him to show a human appearance when he wants and lead a normal schooling" described the Professor "and the one you saw was Hank McCoy, our doctor and professor. He was teaching chemistry and Physical Education in Bayville high school. For years, he fought against his mutation through potions in spite of the fact that I disapproved of that method. Finally happened what I feared: his body got used to the medicine and it wasn't enough anymore to contain his mutation which was far more violent than if he had learned to control it here."

"What happened?"

"He changed in what you've seen, but possessed by an uncontrollable aggressiveness. I managed to help him to get his control back and to contain the beast dwelling inside him. Unfortunately, for the moment he's condemned to keep this appearance. He's has taken up the 'Beast' nickname and he has agreed to wear an image inducer only for some occasions" he finished.

Jean rubbed her face with one hand. Instantly she winced.

"_You have two larges bruises but they'll disappear_Hank has applied some lotion, one of his inventions, on them. Now you need to sleep. Your eyelids are already closing"

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**The next morning:**

When Jean awoke she was alone and her stomach was roaring. She wasn't anymore under perfusion, and judging by the light that was filtering through the shutters, it was morning.

She decided to rise to try to find somebody. She pulled the covers backwards and sat on the edge of the bed, her feet hanging in the air.

"Hey, you shouldn't get up so soon" said a male voice which wasn't unknown to her.

"Scott?" she exclaimed before seeing the skater with whom she had chatted some times. He was carrying a plate with what seemed to be a copious breakfast.

He was carrying a plate with what seemed to be a copious breakfast

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Review please ! 


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the delay, thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)

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_

"After seeing the Professor I should have guessed you're also a mutant" she realized.

"Yes"

"And all the others who surround you, are mutants too?"

"All except my trainer, but he knows. It was necessary to explain to him the reason of these glasses," he said, tapping them slightly with one finger.

"Then it's not an unspecified extreme sensitivity to the light..." she muttered.

She was completely unaware about the powers the other mutants could have. The only powers she had heard about were telepathy, telekinesis, metamorphose and metal control, but they touched so different fields that there could be others.

"It's the only thing that lets me open my eyes and see without destroying everything" he answered.

Jean looked to him, perplexed.

"My eyes shoot a kind of laser of concussive strength and I don't have any control over it."

"Hasn't the Professor helped you?"

"He can't. I was in a plane crash when I was seven where I lost my parents and my little brother. My little brother and I made a parachute jump, but my parachute caught fire. When I landed, I suffered a cranial traumatism which plunged me into a coma and damaged the part of my brain which was supposed to allow me to control my power. My brother didn't survive" answered Scott.

"Oh, God. I'm awfully sorry" Jean stammered. "Then, have you no family left?"

"No, none that I've found"

Suddenly, Scott realized what he had just revealed with such facility.

"I don't even know why I've told you that. Usually I don't tell nobody "

"I won't repeat it. I give you my word"

"Oh, the others already know the history but not all the details. They just know how I lost my family and why I can't control my powers. I don't confess it generally, even less in the first conversation… I must trust you particularly," he admitted before changing the subject, thinking about something else. "You have already lived through a coma, haven't you?"

"Yes, how do you know ?"

"The day I saw you for the first time, you had a brawl with your mother and she mentioned a coma. And you know how noises in skating rinks resound when they're nearly empty."

Jean agreed silently. She never spoke about what had happened, but she also felt the need to trust him and the duty to be also sincere with him.

"I fell into a coma when I was six and my best friend... died in my arms, run over by a roadhog. I believe that it was then when I heard thoughts for the first time," said Jean "I kind of accompanied her as she was dying, and I found myself trapped in the darkness"

"I'm sorry, that must have been particularly awful"

Jean agreed before acknowledging:

"You know, I don't know either why I'm telling you this, I never say it to anybody…"

Scott beamed at her

"Then we have something else in common in addition to our ages, our passion for ice-skating, our titles and our status of mutant" said Scott. "How long did you spend in coma?"

"Eight months, during which the doctors believed me irretrievable" she said.

"How did you get out?"

"This can sound crazy…well, what sounded crazy yesterday to me isn't anymore today…but a majestic fire bird guided me, telling me that it wasn't my time yet, that I had to wake up "

"Like a kind of Phoenix?"

"Yes, maybe. It's the only thing that I can remember. I spent nearly one year of rehabilitation before resuming my training" She related "I began to hear voices again nearly two weeks ago, but it was really light; then, several days before the competition it started again and it's…what's the date today??"

"Saturday"

"Saturday? but..."

"Yes, we found you in Wednesday, but you've slept more than 48 hours" he explained to her.

"I can't believe it…" she said, forgetting the thread of her thoughts.

Scott laid the plate on a nightstand and he pushed it as far as the bed before sitting by Jean's side.

"We didn't know what you like, so we made a little of everything"

Jean's eyes widened.

"I've never seen as much food, except in the few movies I was allowed to watch"

"Are you joking? Expect worse when you eat with us, moreover there often is animation" said Scott

"Eating has often been a tabooed subject in home. My mother and my trainer prescribed me a permanent, strict regime: no bread, no sugar, no…"

"All that is finished now" Scott cut her off "Our doctor's orders. Your weight is quite alarming for him"

"It also was the case with them, but not with the same point of view" answered Jean sarcastically "I had to eat energetic bars in secret and manipulate the scales to  
deceive my trainer about my weight"

"Listen, even my trainer was worrying about you. He knows the pressure that female skaters endure, but he thought that your mother and your coach were going too far" said Scott "According to Hank, you are lacking some essential vitamins and other elements, and sugar is necessary for the organism… It's about time that it stops, you haven't finished your growth yet and according to him, the damage can still be repaired."

Jean agreed and tried a pancake with syrup. She had never eaten anything so good and she was so hungry, but…

"I'm not feeling very well" she said, before getting up and rushing into the toilet.

Right then, Ororo sauntered in the room.

"Has she liked….where is she?" asked the weather witch.

"In the toilet" answered Scott "She ate with gusto but..."

"... But her body is not used to absorb as many calories" supposed Storm "She must being suffering from anorexia, poor girl "

They heard the toilet flushing and the tap running and Jean reappeared straight after, pale-skinned and wan-looking. By reflex, Scott rose up to help her in walking back to her bed. Ororo approached her.

"Hello my child, I'm Ororo Munroe, we've already seen each other. How do you feel?"

"I'm sorry" answered Jean "You offer me your hospitality, a princely breakfast and I…"

"It's not your fault Jean" said Storm "Your body has adopted some bad habits regarding food. You need to learn again how to eat well-balanced meals, and it will take time."

"Yes... " Jean sighed, saddened.

"Listen, it's not good for you to remain here all alone. I'll give you some clothes while we wait to go to the mall to buy you new clothes. Then I'll give you the tour of the Institute," decided Ororo "But before all, drink the orange juice. It should settle your stomach and it is better than nothing"

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Fifteen minutes later, Ororo and Scott took her with them to visit the Institute:

"Here are the sub-basements, they occupy a larger surface than the building above the ground" began Storm "I know that Charles has told you briefly about the 'clans'. You run the risk of crossing some young mutants on the side of Magneto: the Brotherhood. Scott and the others will tell you about them better than me."

"They aren't really dangerous" said Scott "But they like wreaking havoc."

" It's because sometimes it's necessary that we intervene to prevent that they completely reveal our existence, giving us a bad image "

She opened a door led them into a chamber with large windows overlooking a large room

"Here is the danger room" announced Storm "have you heard about virtual reality?"

Jean nodded

"This room has the best of this technology. A powerful computer produces three-dimensional holograms without requiring helmets. It allows us to recreate universes and desired situations as in a video game" she described "The goal is to train to defend ourselves with or without our powers, and to learn how to face any kind of situation. This room contains real weapons for certain levels, so it's strictly forbidden to go into it alone."

"Don't worry I have no intention..." Jean answered, perplexed to learn that such a thing existed elsewhere than in movies.

"Nobody has been killed" said Scott to ease the atmosphere "Most of the time we come out with just some aches or bumps"

"You don't have to join the team, especially as long as you haven't regained weight" carried on Storm "It's Scott who leads the group of the students."

"You manage to do this with school, training and everything else?" Jean asked him.

"It's not easy everyday, but yes"

"Wow."

Ororo smiled and led her in another direction.

"Here there is a gymnasium, there are the cloakrooms with the uniforms…"

"The uniforms?"

"Adapted to combat, very flexible and resistant, although a little too extravagant to my liking" said Scott "but considering I only see shades of red…"

"The Professor said that he was working on other uniforms"

"I know"

Ororo walked thirty feet further down, opened a thick, broad door and Jean opened her eyes wide for the hundredth time that day.

"A jet??"

"An Sr-71, Blackbird" said Scott. "It flies quicker and higher than all the remainder flying machines in existence and also equipped with a stealth system "

"Don't tell me that you pilot this machine?" asked Jean

"I'm learning. My father was a pilot, it must run in our blood"

"... And he's very gifted "admitted Ororo "We call this plane the X-Jet, a subtle reference to our codename: the X-Men."

They strolled towards the elevator but, before getting on it, Storm indicated to Jean another door:

"Cerebro is in there "

"The Professor spoke to me about it"

"Perhaps some day you'll learn how to handle it but it demands a very great control. So, to prevent an accident, its access is protected by a retinal scanner "

They went to the upper level. Ororo and Scott showed her the kitchen, the dining room, the Professor's office, the common rooms, the library (filled up with books from the ground to the ceiling. Jean felt that she would like this place).

Then they went outside to continue her tour, or at least indicate her the locations of the various places.

"Over there you can see the paths to walk and train outdoors," said Ororo "Over here is the baseball court, and, behind this wing of the Institute, the swimming pool. In this direction is the lake which we can see through the kitchen windows; during the summer it's used as a place for practicing sailing and other sports, and during the winter it becomes an outdoor skating rink"

"Kurt, an Institute's student looked after your bag. I saw that you kept your skates, so you'll be able to practice there" said Scott.

"When I was younger I used to skate on an iced pond near home, but my father wasn't reassured" Jean remembered with nostalgia.

"Here there is no danger, I make sure that the entire lake's surface is thick enough, even though it means to force, somewhat, Mother Nature "

"How?" asked Jean

"I control the weather. I just have to raise a cold gust of wind over the lake to harden the ice, and Logan – you'll meet him- checks with the zamboni to smother it if it's necessary."

"Thanks to her we've got the largest skating rink in the United States" said Scott "In Africa she was almost considered a goddess"

"Rather like a witch Scott, but witches are respected over there because of the fear they inspire" corrected Ororo

"Storm is her codename. She takes care of the garden, she has a quite big collection of rare plants in the green house and it's thanks to her that we've got the most beautiful flower beds"

"And you, what is your codename?" asked Jean

"It's Cyclops. Logan came up with it because the energy emitted by his eyes merges in one single optic blast" answered Ororo before glancing at her watch "Goddess, it's half past eleven. I didn't realize it was so late. I must go to prepare the meal. Scott, may you show Jean her room?"

"No problem"

Storm headed back towards the mansion, leaving the young people alone

"This way" said Scott by leading her again to the Institute "So what do you think of it so far?"

"It's huge. Splendid. But I want to wait to meet the others. I'm so nervous…. So many things have happened and I haven't taken it in completely yet …"

"You'll be happy here Jean. We live together and we don't have to hide our true nature "

Jean sighed to quell down the wave of sadness that threatened to overwhelm her. She didn't want to suffer another breakdown in public.

"I'm glad you're here, we haven't had a lot of time to talk aside in the school and at the exhibition; but it gives me a bench mark" Jean confided him before asking: "How long have you lived here?"

"Eight years" answered Scott. "The Professor found me in a orphanage and took me in after helping me to slip out of my coma. He felt that I had the X-gene, but he didn't know how. He, Logan, and Storm became my family. I used to practice hockey since I was four, so I devoted myself again to this sport" he told her "I wanted to become professional later, but my powers manifested and it took one year to find glasses able to contain them"

"How did you manage during that time?"

"I lived with a blindfold around my eyes like a blind man, which has allowed me to develop senses that are scarcely employed when we can see" he explained "I trusted the Professor and I knew that he would find some remedy. But when I could see again without destroying everything, I couldn't practice again hockey. No team wanted a kid carrying sunglasses, since the ones wear normal glasses are not really tolerated..."

"Oh..." uttered Jean as they climbed up the stairs

"In short, I turned to another discipline. Anton noticed me and he has been my coach for five years" finished Scott as he stopped in front of a door. "Here we are. This is your bedroom"

He opened the door. Jean exclaimed

"But it's immense!"

"There is a contiguous bathroom. The Professor reserved these rooms for the older students, but since we are very few for now, we've all got one. This is the last one"

"I can't... "

"No, it's for you, you can move in it as you want. The Professor will give you money to buy all that you need and Ororo will be pleased to drive you to the mall"

"I know that he's not doing me a favor, but I can't help but feeling embarrassed"

"I felt the same way, but it fades with time, don't worry"

* * *

review please ;)

Wen


	7. Chapter 7

_thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)_

_don't forget the reviews please_

* * *

Someone knocked on the already opened door.

"I've gathered the troops," said Logan "I'll try to make a full introduction, but ya know that me and great speeches… well…"

He took a deep breath

"Jean is joinin' us at the Institute, ya already know who she's cause you lot saw her at the national championship, she'll be fifteen in one month and has the powers of telekinesis and telepathy"

"Welcome to the Institute Jean!" said a lot of voices

"Two powers, like, above all psychics ones, it's, like, the first time we see that" declared Kitty.

"The half-pint here…"

"Hey!" she complained

"…is Kitty" continued Logan as if nothing had happened "she's 13 years old and a gossiper: tell her somethin', the next day, everyone in the Institute knows it"

"Hey hold on! Don't, like, push. You said you'd introduce us, not that, like, you'd list the seven capital sins" complained the girl which made the others laugh.

"Everyone'll have it, Jean must know what she's riskin'" grumbled Logan "So, I'll start again: Kitty is 13 years old and is able to phase through objects and all kinds of surfaces"

"Yeah, even while I'm sleeping: I lie down in my bed and, like, the next morning I wake up on the lower level..."

"It's better than the Danger Room" said Kurt, his image inducer on.

"Oh you, I don't have to, like, remind you of when you had the flu on a certain day, right?"

Kurt's smile vanished. Jean was observing the small game, thinking that a lot of things must happen in this Institute.

"So" said Logan with a doze of impatience in his voice "Kitty has been entrusted to us by her parents, her codename is Shadowcat"

"An advice that Logan forgot to give: don't try anything she cooks, no matter what." said the teenager with a gothic makeup."The world doesn't need more biologic weapons" (thanks Jenskott for this last remark, it was her comment lol)

"The venomous tongue over there is Marie, but everyone calls her by her codename: Rogue. She's fourteen and comes from the Brotherhood"

"My tutor and my adoptive mother had manipulated me to make me believe that the X-Men wanted to hurt me. As a shape shifter it wasn't too hard" she explained "I have the power of..."

"Draining someone else's powers and using them, you also drain the personality and recent memories of the person you've touched" said Jean.

"That's right, how did you know that?" asked Rogue, suspicious.

"The Professor explained to me that you had to use your powers on me when you were bringing me here" answered Jean "About that, I don't remember anything; but I'm sorry to have hurt you."

"It wasn't so bad, Red" said Logan before continuing "Rogue can't control her powers yet, so she has to cover her skin up completely to prevent any contact, cause if she drains someone's energy, she can plunge him into a coma."

"Don't go up against her…" laughed Kurt.

"He is the Elf, well, without his image inducer. Will ya turn it off?"

"I don't want to…" he said, indicating Jean.

"You're Kurt, aren't you? The son of this Mystique and, if I'm not mistaken, you're also Rogue's half brother" asked Jean.

"Yes that's right."

"The Professor spoke to me about you and he described your true appearance, so go ahead "

"Er… All right."

He switched his image inductor off, expecting a scream. But nothing. Not even a step backwards.

"Did your mutation appear all of a sudden?"

"No, in fact I was born like this and I was adopted by the people who found me. " he answered.

"Kurt is the local clown, the first to make somethin' incredibly stupid and, unsurprisingly, the prize winner of the chores of laundry" said Logan

" Ha ha ha " Kurt laughed dryly and humorlessly

"His power is teleportation and his codename is Nightcrawler "

"And Logan's forgotten to introduce himself" quipped Cyclops.

"Go ahead Scott!" said the others

"Inveterate smoker of cigars but constrained by the Professor not to lit them up inside, prize winner of the worst temper... "

"Watch it, bub"

"...Logan has an extraordinary power of regeneration which enables him to heal more quickly than anybody" continued Scott "His bones are covered with adamantium, an incredibly hard metal."

"I also have these adamantium claws" Logan interjected, pulling them out

Jean startled.

"We nicknamed him Wolverine"

"Why this name?" asked Jean.

"Cause of the prize-winning discipline" whispered Kurt.

"I heard that Elf!"

"Ah yes, his senses are particularly developed " added Scott.

"Contrary to what said the Elf, this nickname doesn't come from it, but it was engraved on soldier tags that I still carry, so the name stuck" rectified Logan before continuing "I've missed Hank and Ororo but ya've already seen them and the Professor told you about Hank"

"Yes he explained it to me after..."

**/Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but lunch is ready/**

Jean froze in sudden shock.

"Please tell me that you've also heard that"

"Yes, don't worry, it's the Professor's way to contact us as a group. We never really got used to it" answered Scott.

"And even though, like, we hadn't heard it, remember that you aren't insane, you're, like, telepathic" said Kitty

"Thanks, I'll need some time to get used to the idea…"

"Here, come on, we'll show you the kitchen" said Kurt

"Oh by the way, like, I adored your program at the National Championship," added Kitty "You really, like, deserved the first place "

"Thank you"

"Moreover that, I like adored your music choice. Anastasia is, like, my preferred animated movie!" (me it's Spirit )

"And we have the two youngest national champions of figure skating living under our roof" remarked Kurt

"I don't have trainer anymore, and besides, now I have to face these powers" said Jean.

"Will you quit then?" asked Rogue.

"Not definitely, I think that I'd miss the ice too much. And I can use my blocked account for the expenses related to ice skating; I just want to take a break"

"You won't have any trouble to find a coach" Scott told her.

----------------------------------------------

After an afternoon of shopping, Jean spent all the Weekend to familiarize herself with the Institute, its inhabitants and its life rhythm even though, through force of habit she was waking up at half-past five again after having caught up her sleep. She still had food disorders for which Hank had prescribed a treatment.

For the most part she withdrew herself and kept a low profile. Nobody knew that she cried every night before falling asleep

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**Bayville high school.**

A week later, she went with the others to the school. The Professor had arranged not only her absences were justified -explaining Jean's delicate situation to the Board-, but also she shared most of her classes with Scott.

As Jean was leaving her first lesson of the morning, where Scott did not participate, the high-speakers diffused a message:

"Students: Blanche Marioc, Alicia Taylor, André Queras and Jean Grey are requested to go to the admissions office"

Jean went immediately and reported in the office after André Queras had left..

"Ah, this letter arrived for you. I hope that this won't happen, we don't manage the personal mail, no matter who the student is." The man stated with coldness before giving her the envelope.

Jean thanked him despite his behavior and checked where the letter was coming from: Illinois! Her father and her sister must have learned the news! She opened the envelope and read the letter.

If somebody had been paying attention to her, he would have asked her to sit down, her face had turned so pale. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks and, when she arrived at the end of the letter, she choked back a sob, bulb-lights burst and the clerk's paperwork scattered as Duncan Matthews was in front of him..

Jean had left running.

----------------------------------------------

Scott was going to the reception; he wanted to know why they had called Jean.

"Hey Summers, are you looking for your new recruit?" asked a voice he knew too well.

"What did you do to her Alvers?" growled Scott

"Relax! I haven't done anything to her, it's just that she almost knocked me over as she was running out" explained Lance.

"Yeah, she seemed quite distraught" said the Blob.

"Do you actually know that word?" asked Pietro; astonished.

But Scott wasn't listening anymore. He didn't know what had happened, or where Jean had gone. Once outside, he asked a group of girls:

"Have you seen a girl with red hair?"

"Jean Grey?" asked one of them who had who had attended the Championship

"Yes!"

"She went that way," she answered by indicating a direction, delighted to help him

Scott thanked her and dashed off, asking from time to time the same question to other students or strangers.

----------------------------------------------

Jean was on a cliff overlooking Bayville. She had run until her breath faltered, without knowing where she was going, simply hoping that the distance would erase the suffering. But it wasn't the case. She was sitting on the fence going around the cliff, her legs dangling in the void. Her sight was blurred by tears. And in her right hand she clutched the crumpled letter that she had just received.

"Jean?" asked a voice which she recognized as Scott's

"... They hate me... all of them... "She said without turning around "... and I, I hate myself... "

"Don't say that Jean... "

"At least, I believed that…my sister and my father... "

She wasn't able to end her sentence, and her voice dissolved into sobs

"Jean, get down from the railing. Please, come here and explain to me what has happened," beseeched Scott.

She didn't know why, but she accepted to take his hand for coming back on solid ground. She was in tears, and Scott pulled her in him tightly. She let him do it and cried on his shoulder

After several minutes, he asked her in a soft voice:

"What did they want with you in the office?"

Jean pushed herself away from his embrace.

"Giving me a letter... this letter..." she said, holding it out to him.

Scott caught the creased fold while Jean rested her back on a tree and let herself slip down on the ground, crying even more.

The letter came from her family, it had been typed on a computer and was damp where Jean's tears had fallen.

She hadn't written "your father has also words to say", but Scott quickly deduced his identity. He was disowning her, erasing her from the Grey family and preferred to pretend she was dead rather than having to say that this insane girl was his offspring

Then somebody called Sarah continued the letter. Apparently she was Jean's older sister, even though she said she was considering herself as a single child henceforth, and Jean, that possessed freak, had never existed. She also said it was her fault their parents had divorced, because in the lapse of one week all was becoming right as it was before. So it was her who had cursed them.

Jean's mother took again thread of the narration, saying that it was futile to try to contact them and they didn't want to hear about her ever again. She declared that boxes were waiting her at the post office with her furniture since they didn't want to see it anymore. They didn't care where she was staying, whether she was in the streets or not. To finish, she stated that it was also inutile to attempt to participate in any competition of ice-skating because she had prevented Jean from participating in any championship ever again.

All this hatred and this aggressiveness flowed for two pages.

"Jean, I'm really sorry, you don't deserve any of this. You have done nothing wrong," said Scott. "I don't know you really well yet, but I know you haven't"

A downpour of icy rain started to fall. Scott slid the letter in his pocket. Jean was shivering and he tried to comfort her, but she pushed him back.

"Leave-me... I want to be alone..."

"Ok, I respect it, but not here. I'll bring you back to the Institute"

He aided her to rise and held her sliding an arm around her waist until they arrived at the deserted parking of the school. They embarked the teenager' scooter and left for the Institute.


	8. Chapter 8

_Sorry for the delay but I don't remember until where it was yet beta readed so sorry if you find mistakes but it's the prize for reading it ;). Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)_

_Oh, and I've erased the review of a certain "J" as, saying "it's awful" just for saying it's awful is meanless. I'm open to critics, but real ones with arguments and advices, nor an anonymous one (without any way to contact the person) and just saying "This is rediculously awful. The basic plot it good, but you're writing sucks" that's not a constructive critic, it brings nothing. I just wanted to explain why I erased it, it's not because it hurted me, cos it didn't moreover that this version is in English, and I'm French, so the whole story is a translation._

_Thanks to the others reviewers ;)_

_Wen

* * *

**Xavier institute **_

As soon as they'd arrived, Jean got out of the vehicle, dashed hastily in the Institute, climbed the steps four by four and shut herself up in her bedroom. She hadn't even noticed the Professor, Ororo and Anton were in the hall and had been startled by her sudden entrance.

Scott came in straight after.

"What happened? Jean seemed broken" said the weather witch.

"Shouldn't you be at school, kid?" said Logan coming from another room.

"You're completely soaked" Anton noticed "Take that windbreaker off before catching a cold"

Scott obliged, removing his jacket as he started to explain what had happened:

"Jean's parents sent a letter to her to the school. She thought that only her mother was abandoning her and that she'd manage to meet the rest of the family, but her older sister and her father are just as dim-witted as her mother" he said with a contained anger.

He pulled out the now dried letter and handed it over it to the Professor.

"I think that you should take legal measures regarding Jean, Professor." He stated "her mother has already shut the doors from the competitions to her. She can do even worse "

"She has prevented her from competing in figure skating? But how?" asked Ororo "Is it possible Anton?"

"If she has good contacts, bribes people or spreads rumors using false evidences, she can do that, Da." admitted Anton "There are many ways for managing it when someone is spiteful"

Ororo slowly shook her head:

"Jean was devoted to ice-skating, it was very important for her, like the hope that her father and her sister still loved her. Poor child. Maybe I should go to see her…"

"No, leave her alone for now, Storm. She needs some time alone" said the Professor after a brief scan of Jean's mind "You made the right choice when you went in her search, Scott. It could have ended up bad without you"

"There must be some packages waiting for her at the post office, but everything is written in this letter" informed Scott .

"We shall take care of it. Logan will write you a note for having missed a class and for Jean's absence." said the Professor. "As for me, I will read this letter and indeed will take measures for preventing further abuses of power from her family"

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During the following weeks, Jean got terribly depressed. She withdrew into herself, seldom smiled and said to everybody that she didn't want to talk about ice-skating, but nobody was fooled by it. She had lost again the weight she had managed to regain the first week that she had passed in the Institute.

Despite all that, she was learning how to handle her powers and was quickly improving although psychic migraines often left her bedridden. She had recovered her personal belongings (clothing, objects and medals). Her school grades had dropped and the Professor had to speak about Jean's family affairs to her teachers. Speaking about family, he could congratulate himself for having emancipated Jean from her parents and having become her legal guardian.

Some few days after the episode of the letter, several men had knocked at the Institute door. It was a doctor and his orderlies. He had learned that the young girl was living there and had been ordered to intern her. They had to flee doubly quick and empty-handed under Wolverine's threats.

Very soon Jean was fifteen years old. She spent her birthday locked in her room.

She had been in the Institute for two months. Christmas was coming but it wasn't lifting up her morale.

Scott had started again to train and had sometimes suggested her to come for skating a little but Jean had clearly refused saying that her ice-skating days were over.

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**Bayville, skating rink, 6.30p.m**

Scott was practicing the premises of a new program for the World Championship but he wasn't really concentrated. And Anton had perfectly realized it

"What's up Scott?" he asked him "You skate with less passion, less strength"

"I don't know, I'm going through a small bad patch." The teenager explained "I've the feeling now I have made my way into this discipline but I'm without a place. Bah, it'll go away Anton, don't worry"

But the Russian trainer had another explanation in mind.

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**Xavier Institute, December 24th**.

The evening of Christmas Eve had finally come. Few people were at the Institute. In fact, Rogue had left to spend the holidays with Kurt at his adoptive parents' house and Kitty to spend Hanukah with her family. Therefore, only Scott and Jean remained with the professors and the Russian trainer, who was always invited for the celebrations.

It was nearly midnight when Wolverine asked:

"Where did the redhead go?"

Scott reflected a few moments and declared:

"Maybe I know where she is. I'll go check"

He left the living room, crossed the kitchen and looked through a window overlooking the lake. The shimmering full moon, reflecting on the snow, offered an excellent luminosity.

Somebody was dancing on the ice. He was right.

He went up to his room, caught his skates, his special glasses, took a random CD in Kitty's room and went down again. He grabbed a windbreaker before leaving.

His feet were sinking deeply in the fresh fallen snow, but Ororo had forced the blizzard to blow over the lake to once more give it a soft and blue glitter. A sound system was installed all around the iced surface of the water, used at Summer for giving music for the water sports and in Winter for diffusing music for Scott's open-air workouts.

A song had just started. It was "The world is not enough" by Garbage, the original soundtrack of a James Bond film. It had sounded during her exhibition in the last championship. She probably had recovered the tape along her remainder belongings, Scott dwelled.

Whatever. After having slipped his skates on, Scott watched her skating. She was radiating a myriad of emotions in her interpretation: as much calm as anger, despair and hope. It was beautifully performed and, under the moonlight, he couldn't help to think that she looked like an angel.

When the last part of the music was echoing, Scott placed his CD into another slot and programmed it to start once the first one would be finished. Then, he stepped on the ice.

**(VIDEO)**

"I knew that I would find you here," he said aloud when he was sufficiently near of her and she had noticed him

"Why?"

"Because not matter what you say, you live for skating and you miss the ice. Tonight you were feeling particularly alone, and you went here to release and ease your grief"

"I don't live for skating..." she retorted with weak conviction.

"Jean, look at yourself, you glow when you skate. You were smiling, unleashing your emotions. It was as if someone was giving you an oxygen puff." Scott commented "I know it because I saw it and I have lived it"

She sighed as she admitted to herself that he was right, she wasn't just lying to the others, but also deceiving herself.

" Isn't me who is supposed to be a telepathic?" she asked with a slight smile.

"I had missed that smile," he muttered as the music shifted.

"What...?"

"I chose at random a Kitty's CD" he explained before listening to identify the song. "Apparently she's again in her 'Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom' period" he pointed out

"Pirates of the Caribbean" recognized Jean "Good choice, I've heard that it is a good movie"

"The song is not for listening it, but for skating to the strains of it." Scott quipped. "Let's put a little rhythm in this Christmas day: do you grant me this '_dance'_, Miss Grey?"

"Scott, I never skated in couple"

"Neither did I. It's just for relaxing Jean. Let yourself go and follow the music."

This music was powerful and any ice-skater would want to skate on it. Jean accepted the hand that Scott was giving to her and both of them skated side by side, progressing steadily until doing synchronized spins and jumps thanks to Jean's telepathy. Nothing was prepared but they didn't mind; they were having fun. They fell many times while they tried to skate together, but that didn't ruin the moment, on the contrary, that caused them to burst out into laughing, allowing them exorcise all the stress accumulated those last weeks. They finished with an improvised snowball battle on the ice.

But they were unaware that their professors and Anton hadn't missed anything of the spectacle. Troubled with Scott's lateness, they had gone to the kitchen -after Logan had heard the main door banging- with the same intuition than Scott: looking towards the lake.

When the teenagers returned, the adults pretended that they didn't know and waited for them to speak about it if they wanted to. Jean was very sensitive with the subject of ice-skating lately..

"Where were ya Red?" asked cautiously Logan to test the waters.

"I... I went to skate, I needed venting " she answered before sitting down on the sofa, in front of the fireplace.

She and Scott had left their skates in the hall so that the air would dry them correctly, making sure not to let the blade protectors in place.

"Scott was right, I lied to myself during all these weeks. I need to skate." She admitted.

Anton whispered a word at the Professor's ear, and he transmitted it to the remainder adults by telepathy

/**Anton would like to speak to them alone**/

" Good, it's late, I am going to sleep," stated Ororo as Scott sat down beside Jean "Good night my children and Merry Christmas "

"Good night and Merry Christmas, Ororo" they answered

"Speaking for myself, I won't last too long before falling asleep either," added Charles "but I would like to talk with you, Logan and Hank "

They left the room, leaving Anton alone with the two teens:

"I saw you on the ice together"

" What? On the lake?" asked Scott "We were having fun, Anton."

"If that was relaxation, then imagine what worked program would look like," said the Russian before continuing "Jean is figure skating national champion, you are also figure skating national champion, but both have a problem."

" I'm prohibited from competing " said Jean

"And Scott doesn't have same desire, same ardor in figure skating anymore" added Anton.

"What do you mean?" asked the young teenager

"You are two high level skaters, a man and a woman, why not consider another discipline?"

"Anton, you forgot that I can't... "

"Taking part in figure skating competitions for obscure and badly disposed reasons" the Russian finished. "But your mother, by doing it like that, has banned you only from two Olympic ice-skating disciplines: figure skating in solo and in couple. But there is a third discipline: Ice-dancing."

"Are you saying that, if Jean wanted to practice ice-dancing in competition, nothing would prevent her?" asked Scott skeptically..

"Strictly nothing. I observed criteria of prohibition of ice-skating that Jean's mother has used, they relate only to disciplines with imposed jumps. Ice dancing doesn't have any but remains Olympic discipline and is increasingly appreciated by public."

There was a moment of silence before Scott uttered:

"I acknowledge that I've always been appealed by this discipline which I find even more artistic in the literal meaning of the term than figure-skating. I postponed it for later, when I wouldn't feel the same passion to practice figure skating anymore" he told before pointing out "And at this moment I am selected for the world championships but I don't have the will to excel myself anymore."

"However you have the power for it," said Jean before carrying on with horror "Oh, my God, I'm speaking like my mother.""

Scott beamed at her. Jean sighed and declared:

"The most important thing is to do what we wantand not what we have to."

Anton remained quiet;he felt that it was going well.

"And I think that I want to try. What do I have to lose considering that no longer I have the same passion for figure skating? And what do you have to lose?" asked Scott.

"Me?"

"You've heard Anton. Nothing prevents you from competing in ice dancing in." Scott told her, "You've got a way of continuing to practice your ice passion and to defy the barriers placed by your mother."

"I admit it's tempting, but what would stop her from blocking me in this discipline too?"

" She doesn't have authority upon you anymore" Scott pointed out

" Yes, but she still has her friendships, her money to bribe shady judges and others stratagems that she used for banning me from figure skating competition"

Anton coughed meaningfully:

"I also have contacts and relations to prevent this kind of action and your mother must be far from imagining that you could think about that. She must believe that you are on the street, helpless; let alone, friend of a great skater"

"Have you already trained ice dancers?" asked Jean

"She asks if I've already trained ice dancers," muttered Anton, rolling up his eyes. "Of course I have already trained ice dancers, some of them are among the experts of the discipline"

"Then, could you train us?"?" asked Scott

"If I can transform two champions of figure skating into champions of ice dancing? Of course, but you should that it'll require a lot work and rigor. You've mannerisms of individual skaters. Ice dancing demands others." explained Anton "If you want to launch out in this discipline, you'll have to learn deuce figures: lifts, spins and to learn how to skate at unison until becoming one on the rink. That will require a lot time and energy, and total agreement, so think about it." He concluded before rising and leaving the place

The two teenagers remained quiet for one moment

"What do you think about it?" asked Scott.

"I like to skate, it's the only discipline that is still accessible for me and which I like." she answered. "I like the competitions but I'm not ready yet to bear pressures again, and I have my powers to manage in addition."

"My powers aren't a small matter either" Scott pointed out "But imagine: you can take your revenge on your mother, not letting her win, proving to her that you won't give up, that you're a fighter. And if Anton train us, certainly he'll be exacting, he's Russian, but it'll be nothing comparable to your training. Believe me, I survived to him during five years and I don't hate him."

"There is another thing..." Jean muttered

"What?"

"Do you believe that you'd be able to put up with me twelve hours every a day at school, training and remainder stuff?"

"Now that you have mentioned it... " Said a hesitant Scott before receiving a cushion sent by telekinesis. "Hey! You were looking for this!" he defended himself.

"No, YOU were looking for it," she rebuked. "I was being serious."

"Then you haven't to ask that." He answered calmly (which disturbed her more than she'd admit to herself) "Moreover, I could ask it back"

"We're always quarrelling"

"No we're squabbling, it's different." rectified Scott "And it doesn't happen the whole time. It seems to me that the most of the time we get along well, aren't we?"

"Yes"

" Then we agree on this point. Something else to the matter?"

"No, nothing is coming to mind." Jean answered with a smile before continuing. "If you want to try it, you will need a female skater, and it so happens that I have nothing scheduled. So we can always try and see how it turns out"

"I'll be honored to have you for partner Miss Grey."

"Don't make fun of me!" Jean complained before a thought dawned on her. "Half school thought we were corny when we were making figure-skating, when they learned that we are beginning ice dancing…" she laughed.

"Yes, I know, but..." Began Scott

"Who cares?" they said together at the same time, which made them laugh.

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**Three weeks later**

During the following three weeks Anton began the retraining of his two artistic skaters. He was delighted by their decision because he had never trained such good skaters, who were offering to him a lot of possibilities to rehearse choreographies that, until then, were impossible to put into practice. But there were a lot of things to learn.

First of all they had to get used to remain in contact the most of time, to carry out simultaneous sequences across the skating rink and, the hardest: to perform lifts. They required a total confidence between the two partners, which was acquired, but also accepting certain necessary physic contact that, seen from the outside, would seem quite intimate. Apart from that, Jean being light and as much Scott as she being really flexible, they could execute really beautiful moves. However they would start to practice them on the ground to be safer.

At the beginning, for not disturbing them, Anton had let them train with their skates; but, one day of rest, fifteen days earlier, he had borrowed them...

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**Two weeks later**

Two weeks later, Scott and Jean arrived at the skating rink, ready for the training.

"From now on you'll leave those skates and start using those." Anton stated.

Then he showed them two new pairs, which would seem similar to a novice. But it wasn't the case

"Here are true ice dancing skates of ice dancing. As you can see, the blade is different. It's shorter for allowing compulsory figures without risks of falls. Moreover, the heel is higher, but that shouldn't disturb you that much," he said "However, even though they have been made-on-measure you'll have to wear them so they fit snugly into your feet's shapes."

The two teenagers winced at the thought. Having their own skates was comfortable, but the new footwear was stiff and tight and mold them around the feet wasn't done without harm, they knew it. And it was only the beginning.

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Four days later, Scott and Jean were ensconced on the sofa, their feet lying on a coffee table, covered with bandages for concealing the wounds and blisters the new skates had done. Anton was in full speech mode and pacing up and down behind them.

"This week you progressed a lot despite the new skates which are still hurting you, but we still have a lot work to learn more complex figures, more original and daring lifts, and better synchronization. Have you heard, children?" He paused a moment. Silence. Frowning, he repeated. "Children?"

He strode round the sofa. Both of them had fallen asleep where they had collapsed, Jean's head laid on Scott' shoulder, who had his cheek resting on the top of her flare-haired head. Kurt walked by right then.

"Mein Gott, Kitty has to see this," he sniggered before teleporting away..

Two successive bamfs echoed in the room.

"But, like, Kurt, are you mad? And why, like, have you taken my camera?" complained Kitty, brusquely teleported back into the foyer..

"Because that." he said as he indicated Scott and Jean.

Anton remained perplexed. These two weren't growing up.

"Oh, thank you, Kurt"

Oh, thank you, Kurt." Kitty cooed. She tore her camera from the Elf's hands and set the flash not only for taking pictures of the two teenager's feet, but also of their reactions

Jean was startled and awoken by the sudden shining, just like Scott did..

"But what are you doing?" asked Scott

"An album entitled 'the sufferings of Scott and Jean and other horrors' " she answered, simultaneously taking another snapshot before her camera flew off her hands."Hey!"

Shouldn't we have some say on this?" asked Jean, holding the camera out of Kitty's reach by telekinesis; but Kurt managed to catch it. The young redhead offered weak resistance since she was so fatigued..

"You're softening" Kurt pointed out.

"It's not because we aren't in a state for running after you or striking back" Scott warned them.

"Time to leave, Kurt" said Kitty.

BAMF!

" Oh, those two," complained Jean before falling asleep again, followed by Scott.

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review please ;)


	9. Chapter 9

_Sorry for the delay, but I was waiting for the correction and a storm came in the way_

_Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)

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_

**One year later**

During a year they trained, becoming so promising that Anton decided to register them sooner than he had intended for the next regional competition (the springboard for the nationals) would be held in six months. The two young pupils were at that time more than 16 years old and had their driving licences. On the occasion of it, the Professor had offered each a car to their astonishment. Accepting it hadn't been easy, as it was a very expensive gift.

They deplored a little Anton's musical choice for the first program, but he had his reasons: they needed a great classic for not being marked harshly by the judges. So, they were embarked on a ' Romeo and Juliet' free program, whose choreography benefited from originality: indeed, Anton had chosen relating the story… from the end.

Moreover, they had a phenomenal asset: Jean. She had realized that she was able to carry out a completely unique lift, a reversed one where she was the one raising Scott. It had never been seen. The young teenager's powers didn't have anything to do with it. In fact, it just required to have an excellent stability on the ice, a great confidence and to use a system of balanced move. They were certain to succeed with that and Anton was very proud of his students.

Scott and Jean worked hard everyday and remained always together. Apart from the Institute students, nobody else knew what they were preparing. Those being interested in their work had regretted their absence at the world championships and had tried to find out why they hadn't taken part on it. But they hadn't told anything, and they weren't sure of the reason, since they didn't care what the others could think and that these people were in all ways mad about ice-skating

Jean had totally changed and was often smiling and joking. Duncan had made another pass on her, since that she was even prettier with her 16 years, but she had again ridiculed him. She couldn't help it, she felt that he was a bad guy and she liked to be with Scott with who she could speak for hours even though they already spent their days together. For not losing his face, Duncan had spread some rumors about her, but Jean didn't care; besides, seeing the closeness she had with Scott, saying that she was lesbian wasn't really plausible...

Their first championship was scheduled in six months. It was a simple regional but, if they ended up in a good place, that competition would open doors for them. The free program still needed to be honed, and then they'd have to train on the short one, whose obligatory dance was tango, and which was still in preparation. So much work wasn't letting them a lot of spare time

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It was French period. Rogue, who had just been admitted to high school, was in the same class as Jean, at a session that comprised of several groups of different ages. It was very practical since when Jean dozed off, Rogue was there to throw a pencil, a rubber and a mini paper airplane to her to wake her up before the professor spotted her.

The bell eventually blared and they joined the others to go to the canteen:

"I believe that it's the first time I've taken the imposed program rather than the free one" said Jean.

"Yeah, _'Romeo and Juliet'_ it's, like, a little has-been" approved Kitty

"Anton knows that we've got a problem with that musical theme, but he insisted" recalled Scott. "We'll crash into the ice dancing competition after almost two years and a half of disappearance and retirement of the world championship of figure skating. To appeal the judges, we need a classic."

"Yeah, but for the public, it's a super sleeping pill" commented Kurt

"For the next music, we'll choose the song," said Jean "Do they want something classic? Well, but we can make musical arrangements to modernize it a little."

"Yes, for the next program, we'll decide" approved Scott "And there, it's only the regional ones"

"And still you're falling asleep during the lessons," commented Rogue.

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**Two days later, skating rink of Bayville**

Scott and Jean were finishing their free program training.

"Try to put in more passion" said Anton.

I would like to see him at our place, thought simultaneously Scott and Jean without realizing it. Their choreography and especially the selected topic imposed lifts and attitudes that expressed a lot of love. And it wasn't easy to suppress their feelings that had evolved along several months.

They had already had to accept certain physical contacts, which were awkward for the two young teenagers who, more than one year before, didn't even know each other; but they had managed it and they had even gotten used to be physically near each other. But they were still hiding their mutual feelings. Their closeness could make some people believe that they were a couple, but it had become something natural for them. In short, having to 'pretend' to be in love with each other and pretend to kiss on the ice wasn't easy for them. But would it be harder if they didn't feel anything towards each other? They didn't know and would never find out.

The end of the music resounded and Jean pretended to die as the choreography was made. Scott helped her to rise up and they joined their trainer.

"Well, children, the choreography is almost achieved. There're just some actions and steps that need to be worked again" he said before continuing "I know that the music seems too old, too slow for you, but I explained reasons."

"We know, Anton"

"For next programs, we will study together the possibilities. You will have more freedom of choice."

"We are counting on it "

"But not too much either" he warned them, just in case they consider it to be too out of place for the discipline. "Well, it's half past seven. Hurry up you two, get changed. You can go to that movie at half past eight as I promised"

Both smiled. They had negotiated this reprieve two weeks ago for taking their minds off things.

One evening after months of work and weeks of rehearsals. They had worked hard to arrive at this level. They knew that it had been necessary because they couldn't have become ice-dancers in one day after having skated in solo during so many years. And it had been a true challenge.

Of course, they had not skated seven hours a day during one year, it had been progressive, and they still had parallel activities to do and school's responsibilities to assume, so they had some breaks. It was only since two weeks ago that the training was longer and more demanding. They had to learn two programs for a competition held in six months, and it would be their longer time. Moreover since the arrival of several new mutants, the life at the Institute was shakier. Indeed Bobby, Tabitha, Amara, Jubilee, Rahne, Roberto and Evan, Ororo's nephew, had come to join them.

Anton handed over their protect-blades to his students. They ran theirs fingers along the metal for removing the ice before putting the protections on it.

"We meet at the door?" asked Scott.

"Yes, just give me 15mins to show and change my clothes," Jean answered him.

They separated to meet again at the lobby of the skating rink, wearing casual clothes adapted to the cold weather of late January. They got into Scott's car and went to the cinema that was less than one mile away

"Then what are we gonna watch?" asked Scott

Indeed they hadn't even looked at the program and at the program and the only open theater they found wasn't showing any recent movies, but considering that they didn't often watch the TV, it didn't disturb them.

" Whatever makes us relax " answered Jean

"Then let's see what they propose: 'Amelie of Montmartre' no, thank you, we don't pay for falling asleep; 'the 102 Dalmatians ', not better; ' JAWS 8 ', I thought they had given up the massacre after the sixth..." Scott commented

Jean laughed before declaring:

"Wait, I see a non-prehistoric movie" she said. "It doesn't seem too bad. It features Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones "

"Ah yes, Men In Black 2," noticed Scott. "Why not? We've spent a rather good time watching the first one with the others at the Institute, and there is even a session right now."

"Then let's go!"

They bought two tickets and went to settle for nearly two hours of relaxation. Other than the purchase of the tickets, the theater didn't make a big profit of them since that they didn't buy pop corn, ice-cream or soda. They weren't on a diet but they had to watch their weight

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When they left the cinema, Jean looked towards the clear sky. The night was moonless

" You know, at the risk of paraphrasing the film, I must admit I've never really looked at the stars. I can look like an idiot …"

" No, it's not silly, but we'll remedy that"

"What? Now?"

"Yes, don't you see the sky? It's the perfect moment"

He started the car again and drove at a place away from the parasitic lights of the city. After arriving, Scott made Jean shutt her eyes, led her forward several feet and asked her to sprawl out across the grass. The telepath did what she was told, and he ensconced next to her. Out of habit, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Open your eyes" he asked her.

She obliged.

"Wow, it's fantastic!"

"It's more beautiful than downtown, isn't it?"

"I had never seen so many stars," she answered when her eyes had got used to the darkness.

They remained quiet for one moment, contemplating the sky.

"Then, Miss Grey… What haven't you seen or made yet that you regret or not?"

Jean laughed

"Oh well, this runs the risk of being long" she said before beginning "So, I've never drunk alcohol or coffee, I've never smoked and never drugged nor doped myself, and I don't regret it" she added

"Fortunately"

"I've never played bowling or pool, I have never ridden a horse, I've never watched Stars wars although I heard about it, I've never seen a shooting star... Oh! Correction, I've just seen a superb one," she exclaimed before carrying on "I've never spent an entire day in front of the television, I've never slept in through force of habit, I've never made a parachute jump... the list is still long" she mused "and what about you?"

"Me?" asked Scott "I've never drunk alcohol or coffee, smoked, drugged or doped myself either, I've never played bowling, I've yet never seen you playing hockey."

"I can play hockey"

"So it's rectifiable, just like Stars wars, but it'll take years. There are six episodes now." Scott said

"Effectively, with our timetable we'll not be able to watch the series of movies the same day," laughed Jean. "But go on"

"Ok, I've never skated as much as you, I've never had a pet, I've never gone round the world, and the list goes on…"

"You know, Scott?" asked Jean as she turned her head to him, who had done the same thing when he heard his name.

Their faces were only a few inches apart. The telepath found instinctively his glance despite the darkness and his crimson shades. She was the only one capable to do it

"I believe we'll end up knowing everything about each other."

"You think that it's possible? To…know everything about someone?" he asked, slightly blushing, disturbed by their proximity.

"Yes, if the trust is reciprocal... except if, of course... we kept certain things…from  
each other...".

"Like... what?"

Their faces moved closer and closer, until their lips ended up meeting with a brief, light touch. Then, after an exchange of swift glances, they kissed for good. The kiss was initially hesitant, then more pronounced. Their hearts missed a beat before starting to race and drum wildly. It was so electrifying, they were unable to think. Only after a few minutes they separated.

"Wow"

"Yeah wow" wheezed out Jean

"You, you're the first person I have kissed," admitted Scott.

Jean smiled.

"Ditto, surely it's because of our not very so common lives...""

"Or because we hadn't found the right person... "

"Or that we hadn't the guts to do it," she added" If I had to add one 'I have never', I... I've never felt anything so strong for anyone."

"I'd never fallen in love before meeting you…" he said before kissing her again, slipping his hand behind the nape of her neck.

That kiss was even more fairy-like than the first. They had the feeling that their lips were made for each other. They deepened the kiss without feeling any discomfort.

Suddenly, their watches rang at the same time:

-"Curfew," said Jean.

-"Yes, we must go" smiled Scott before rising and helping her to her feet.

Review please ;)


	10. Chapter 10

_Sorry I can put more, the continuation isn't yet corrected_

_Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)

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_

Nobody noticed anything different: they returned at eleven o'clock, as usual when they were going out, and didn't linger before going to bed. Nothing abnormal.

" Good night, Jean," said Scott as he left her in the threshold of her bedroom.

"Good night Scott" she answered.

Once in her room, she smiled, bringing her fingers up to her lips. She was still very turned on by those kisses. She ceased her daydream and went to bed.

Jean fell asleep as dwelled again upon what had happened, about this passion, this sensation of lightness now that she had expressed her feelings. Her dream was initially inspired by it. Then the setting changed.

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In the other room, it was the same thing for Scott:

He found in the garden of a rather lavish house, playing with a Frisbee with a six-year-old young girl that he recognized as Annie, Jean's best friend, whose picture he had seen. Slowly he realized that he was into her dream. He (or Jean) threw back the Frisbee when a strong gust of wind averted it. He (or Jean) offered to go to seek it but Annie insisted, he saw her moving away and...

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Annie was moving away. Jean knew what was going to happen, but she couldn't prevent it. She was tossing and turning shakily in her bed when Scott entered her room.

"No…Annie, be careful..." was murmuring Jean

Scott approached the bed, sat onto the wrinkled sheets and grasped delicately the young telepath's hand.

"Jean, wake up, Jean"

The mutant awoke with a start. She recognized her room and noticed immediately Scott's presence.

"Oh it's you" she gasped out, relieved.

"I've suffered the same nightmare that you. You must have projected it into my mind."

Jean didn't reflect on it.

"I'm sorry... Thank for waking me up before I relived…her death…"

Tears ran silently through her face.

"Hey, don't cry" he said, wiping her face with his hand. "Well, try to fall asleep again. Tomorrow will be another long day"

"May you stay with me, please?"

Scott sighed. It wasn't the first time that one of them had awoken the other cause a nightmare and after they had spent the rest of the night sleeping together; but since they were the first in rising, they had never been caught.

"Ok, make room for me," he said before slipping under the sheets.

Jean cuddled up to him.

"I don't know what I would do without you. I don't even know if I would be still here." Jean whispered, remembering the day she had received that infamous letter. "You're always there for me when I need you, and even before."

Scott kissed her forehead. She felt that he was nervous. She didn't know how, but she felt it.

_Jean, how shall I behave with you? Does what happened a few hours counted for you? _

"Scott, of course that it counted for me," she answered before realizing, slapping a hand on her face. "Oh no, don't tell me that I've answered again to something you haven't said."

Scott's silence answered the question.

"I don't understand, it wasn't happening anymore…"

"Perhaps I've projected?" Scott ventured

"No, I can tell the difference... in fact, it wasn't as when I wasn't controlling my powers, it wasn't like an intrusion in my mind, it was different..."

She tried to calm down, thinking that it was a simple incident, and laid back beside Scott before gazing into his glass-covered eyes.

"Scott, I don't regret it at all what happened earlier. In fact, I should have admitted my feelings sooner."

"Me too" he said "Then, how will we call it? Dating'?" Scott asked, imitating the slang of his friends.

Jean smiled while caressed his face before answering:

" Something like that; but more serious, I guess "

They kissed again and the sensation of being drowned in their emotions was even stronger than before.

_I didn't know that you felt something so intense for me _said Scott

_I told you, I'm in love with you_ answered Jean before breaking their kiss

"Scott?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me that we were speaking aloud"

Scott realized that it hadn't been the case. Jean rolled on her back.

"But what's happening?

"... It wasn't a projection" realized Scott, thinking about the dream.

"No, I only project when the anguish of a nightmare is too strong"

"Then I've suffered the same dream than you..."

"I don't see another explanation," said Jean before continuing enumerating. "So, we've got the same dream, then we communicate telepathically..."

"And there is another thing" carried on Scott "Since this evening, and especially now, I have the feeling of a presence inside my mind, of your presence. Not as you always were, not, but as if a piece of yours was into me."

"I feel the same thing. I've got this strange but pleasant feeling of having you inside my mind," Jean mused

She sat down in the bed by catching her head between her hands:

"My god, but what have I done?"

Scott sat behind her and massaged her backside

"Hey, why are you blaming yourself?"

"I'm the psychic. I already was about of killing everyone the day you found me."

" Yes, but since then you control perfectly your powers" Scott reassured her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. "Jean, this situation is new for us. Perhaps when two people love each other they have these feelings…"

"And they're able to really speak without emitting a sound?"

" Point taken …"

"And not little..." she muttered. "Scott, it's worrying me, I don't know if it's me who did something involuntarily, what and how. I think that we should go to speak to the Professor about it.""

"Now? But he must be sleeping!" Scott exclaimed. It was midnight.

Jean focused and made a fast, slight scan of the Institute.

"No, he's reading in his office" she answered "We have to speak to him about it Scott"

"I know. You're afraid." He stated levelly, matter-of-factly

" How d... you have felt it, haven't you?" she realized

Scott paused before replying softly:

"Yes"

"Let's go." Jean decided.

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Both hopped off the bed and left the room for walking to the other wing of the Institute... where they came across Logan. Since the arrival of the New Mutants he patrolled the halls every night since some of them had an art to pull stupid pranks. They had suddenly lowered the average age of the students and overall they required much more discipline.

"What are ya doin' up at this hour ya two?" he grumbled

"We're going to see the Professor. It's important"

"Chuck must be sleepin', Red"

"No, he isn't. I've verified it."

Wolverine squinted at them suspiciously

"Mm. And how is that yer going together?"

_We've to find an excuse and quickly Scott_

"Jean suffered a nightmare and I went to awake her. Since she's shaken still, I'd feel more tranquil accompanying her."

" Mm…"

Logan contemplated thoughtfully Jean. Indeed, her eyes were reddened cause the tears.

_It won't work_ thought Jean, dreadful.

It'll do it. Lying had been even riskier

"Go ahead if it's so important" said Logan.

You see? sent Scott as they started to walk again. This whatever has considerable benefits

Scott, this is serious

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The Professor was engrossed in a fascinating book when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in" he said, resting his book onto his knees. "Scott? Jean? Is there something wrong?"

"Sorry to disturb you so late Professor, but something happened and we had to talk to you about it."

"I can see that. Jean, you seem very anxious," he stated before motioning for them to sit down

_We must tell him everything_

_I know _

Charles had the impression that they had discussed something with a glance. Then, the two young people told him what had happened from the exit of the theater to their return, even though it wasn't easy. Of course, they kept to themselves the details of their kisses, feeling these were sacred.

"This phenomenon is fascinating," remarked Charles. "This bond permits you to communicate and to sense the feelings and the emotions of each other. Am I right?"

"Yes, Professor," replied Jean. "What's happening? Am I the responsible for its creation?"

"Jean, Scott raised a valid point: you had never been in love with somebody loving you in return and having expressed it," uttered the Professor, scratching his chin with a hand..

He perused quietly his two oldest students. They were ensconced on the couch. Scott had an arm draped around Jean's waist. He realized how much they had grown in only one year.

"When a human being is really in love –because such a rapport could have been forged only if you really feel love towards each other– they often have the sensation of having thought the same idea at the same time, to know what the other feels," explained the Professor. "You two are mutants and Jean is a telepath, but I think that this phenomenon occurred naturally, when all those latent emotions met a vehicle to come out."

"Then it's not me who...?"

"No Jean, it's not you, it's a proof of the depth of the feelings you've developed for each other. Intense feelings, far from the flirts and the fancies of the teenagers of your age"

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Review please  


	11. Chapter 11

_Sorry I can put more, the continuation isn't yet corrected ;)_

_I think it's better to send several little part that only one and less often ;)_

_Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)

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_

**The next day, skating rink of Bayville**

When they trained again, Anton remained quiet, speechless. The choreography still needed to be worked, but there was something different about them.

"Splendid, children, choreography has some deficiencies, but where did such a radical change in the interpretation come from??" he asked. "We feel passion, we feel love... I know! You two have made confessions to each other, haven't you?"

"Anton, but how did you know that...?" asked Scott

"One doesn't become old without realizing things. For one year I've been seeing you glancing longingly at each other. I started to believe that you didn't even realize that," he smiled.

"On the contrary, Anton. It's because of it that this topic was disturbing," answered Jean, slightly blushing.

"Hum, I'm happy for you, children, but training mustn't be neglected. There is much work left to be done."

"Yes, we know... "

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**Six months later**

Scott and Jean had left two days before for training on the spot in order to take their marks for the national championship which would start in two hours and a half. They had kept their relationship a secret; only the professors and Anton knew about them

. All the members of the Institute joined them when the great day came. Scott and Jean had changed their clothes and taken advantage of the six minutes of warming up allowed to the group in which they were: the last one. After an interminable waiting that accentuated the stress they were feeling, finally it was their turn

"_And_ _here a great surprise, for this regional championship of ice dancing_", said the announcer

_"Jean Grey and Scott Summers, two national champions in figure skating " _

The music began.

"_For such young skaters to practice ice-dancing after only one year and half and with an imposed dance as difficult as the Tango it's remarkable"_ said the commentator

_"_I _agree, they're showing us a pretty good program. Beautiful attitudes and flexibility. We appreciated them as _individual skaters and then they are back as a couple in ice-dancing, who could have thought about that?"

"_Yes, it's extremely difficult to make the transition from figure-skating to ice-dancing"_

**(VIDEO)**

The two commentators observed silently in the remainder program and started talking again only at the end as Scott and Jean greeted the public and went to the marks cabin.

_"Anton Pamchenko, their trainer and choreographer, has always had a gift for finding talented skaters"_

"_Yes, having the idea to train them in this discipline mustn't have been easy, knowing that Jean Grey was prohibited from competition in figure skating by her family because of a particularly violent quarrel, I think_…_" _recalled one of them

_"I believe that she is not under their custody anymore…"_

_"It's correct, but her mother knows how to influence the judges, unfortunately. Anyway, this is a very good retraining "_

"_We should see the remarks now... _" One of them muttered, glancing at the scoreboard_ "_

His partner eyes' widened in shock.

"_Here they are. They are good, but I expected better. Apparently the public thinks likewise, judging by their protests_."

_"Yes, but sometimes it's difficult to understand the reasons from the judges. They're temporarily placed in the sixth place, but the free program tomorrow can rock everything "_

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The following day, the two teenagers were going to perform their free program. They were wearing costumes in shades of blue. They skated to the center of the skating rink, greeting the cheerful public. Then, Scott lay face down on the icy surface, as Jean remained upright. The music began

_"Beautiful flexibility of the movements, the interpretation is very good and especially very original. Look at that vertical curved lift!"_

_"Now begins again the slow passage… Oh my god! Did you see what I've just seen?_" exclaimed the commentator, perplexed.

_"... It seemed as if they have just made a reversed lift. Jean's lifting Scott..."_

_"... I've never seen anything like that. The movement has to take hours of training."_

_"... And an excellent sense of balance "_

_" New lift of Scott Summers. A beautiful alignment!"_

_"Now comes the sequence of synchronized ice-skating. Perfect!"_

_"Another reversed lift, amazing!""_

_"What passion and maturity with this classical theme for two sixteen years teenagers."_

Then, so suddenly like it had begun, the program ended.

**(VIDEO)**

_"We've seen originality of the choreography and of this astonishing reversed lift. I think that it should pay off,"_ stated the stunned man

"_Undoubtedly yes, but will the judges see things in the same way?"_

_"Let's see the scores. They're very good, but will they be sufficient to go up onto the podium?"_

_"Yes, they are!_" shouted the announcer

Below on the benches, Anton pecked his two skaters on the temples

"Congratulations my children, third place"

" Those judges have been screwin' with them since yesterday " grumbled Wolverine

"It was to be expected, but the public is siding with them. They won't be able to do what they want, indefinitely " said the Professor.

"Under these conditions, third place is already a victory" added Ororo

"There's still one couple left," pointed out the two young children

"Not as good as you," replied Anton with confidence

And he was not wrong. The other couple was less daring, but the judges gave them better marks despite the absence of a reversed lift.

_"I don't understand this. The last couple was technically worse than the preceding but they have been placed at the second place,_" said the first commentator

_"Yes, the crowd seems to be angry. The two Bayville entrants have come fourth, the worst place, but still selected for the national championship in three months and a half."._

"_Let's hope that the implementation of the new scoring system that we're waiting for ice-dancing will give them the recognition they deserve"_

_"Although the judges placed them fourth, these two young people are very promising, and if I were in the other couples' shoes, I would be concerned"_ remarked the second man

Scott and Jean weren't really astonished no more than Anton was, even though he hoped a place on the podium. Logan vowed to disembowel these bribed judges but Hank and Ororo retained him.

Perhaps the judges thought they'd discourage them. They were wrong. Such an injustice only fueled Scott and Jean's desire to prove their capacities to them. Moreover, the crowd was supporting them.

"Without that old score system we'd be already on the podium," regretted Scott when they were in the cloakrooms.

While they were changing their attires, several skaters approached them to express their indignation to them, even though it was an empty gesture.

"It's a form of hazing, they didn't want that two young newcomers in the category ranked higher than the others couples." answered Jean who had just finished changing her shoes. "Don't worry, we will astonish them at the national championship. And there the score system will finally be the same one that we had in figure skating. And fairer, at least for the technical marks. You heard the public booing them? The judges can be corrupted; the public can't and they are supporting us."

"Do you know that you have a knack to lift my spirit?" chuckled Scott while his hand brushed her long red hair.

She smiled and kissed him. Right then, Kitty appeared. They heard a "Oh, God!" and before reacting she had bolted out of the room.

"Six months and a week without any student catching us it's a record, believe me," groaned Scott sourly.

"Yes, but now everyone will know it "

Finally. It's not necessarily a bad thing," he muttered.

"Yes, we won't need to take so many precautions for preventing someone see us touching anymore" approved Jean

"And I'll be allowed to take you in my arms as long as I want from now on" said Scott with a smile.

"Hmm… perhaps we should have thought of that earlier"

They briefly kissed before gathering their belongings and joining their friends.

During the meal that they had downtown, the students didn't cease to assail them with questions. When they learned that they had been together for six months, Kitty's pride took a severe blow under the amused eyes of the adults, since she believed she had the scoop of the relationship.

At 10 p.m. they headed again for the Institute. In the X-Jet, everyone was gossiping but Scott and Jean who had fallen asleep. The pressure of training had finally loosened; they were going to have a few days of rest before working on other programs. The national championship would come in three months and a half

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During the following days several serious racist aggressions happened across the country. Scott and Jean, as all the mutants, could only be particularly sensitive to it considering that they were 'different' and that it was the fate that surely awaited them the day when they would be discovered. In History period they were currently studying Martin Luther King's life and they decided to do a program about freedom and tolerance.

Anton crafted a composition just for them: he made a medley with 'Non Merci' by Jean-Claude Petit (from the soundtrack of the movie 'Cyrano de Bergerac') and 'Canone Inverso' by Ennio Morricone (from the soundtrack of the movie 'Making Love'). Likewise he included snippets of Martin Luther King's speech 'I have a dream'..  
For the choreography it was decided that Scott would represent the humanity which is oppressed but in quest of freedom that Jean would symbolize by guiding Scott towards the light. Above all, they wanted to transmit a message, and the occasion was exceptional. They had three months and one week to develop it.

Thirteen weeks. A lapse of time would seem long for a novice. But for a good program, technically perfect and synchronized, it was very short.

"Don't be frightened, children, we'll manage it. I've already prepared everything for imposed dance and, thanks to you, we've free program, very good choice," he would utter often

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It shouldn't be believed that the following days were really restful. Certainly they rose up a little later to get dressed, but they weren't at all idle..

Anton had entrusted to a professional with the music for having a perfect orchestration, and worked from dawn to dusk on the choreography with Scott and Jean's ideas. They had school with its lessons and its homework to assume (neither of their schoolmates knew about the last championship, which was comprehensible. It had only been the regional one), and besides they had to keep their physical fit: muscle building, warm-up exercises, dancing, Danger Room sessions and jogging.

The jogging was often accompanied with bursts of laughter when their teenager mischief possessed them. Often they had fun shoving the other or stealing their belongings. However, with their powers, and in particular Jean's ones, the things were different: why exhausting herself dashing after Scott when she could easily recover what he has stolen to her or stop his sprint?

The weeks passed very quickly. They worked on their two programs: the short one whose imposed dance was a waltz and the free one that they named 'Anthem for Liberty'. October arrived, but Storm tweaked slightly the weather to freeze the lake and permit them work on it. That circumstance allowed them get up later in the morning and to go to sleep earlier in the evening.

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Review please 


	12. Chapter 12

_Sorry I can put more, the continuation isn't yet corrected_

_I think it's better to send several little part that only one and less often ;)_

_Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)_

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**Two weeks before the national championship, Xavier Institute **

Everyone was gathered in the living room equipped with a large television. Anton was projecting a tape (one of many) that allowed them to see their errors, and the movements to ameliorate, keep or leave out. Right now the VCR was displaying the result of the free program to the other members of the Institute who were anxious to watch it. The secrecy of the program had been efficiently kept until then.

Jean sat on Scott's thighs, an arm slid around the nape of his neck. Simultaneously Scott's arms were encircling her slim waist. They were even closer than before, a fact that didn't seem to please Logan, but he hadn't made any comment yet; just thrown some scowling glares. Indeed, the two teenagers didn't hide anymore, but they didn't spend their entire time kissing each other in public either, no. They acted discretely, but they didn't see anything wrong with being in each other's arms.

"Ah, like, much better" said Kitty during the video. Its quality wasn't remarkable..

"I like the music and overall the message you want to transmit " supported Rahne.

"What a splendid performance," uttered Hank at one time of the program.

" These are ideas of Scott and Jean," declared Anton. "Just like the new reversed lift, they invested much effort in this choreography"

The program ended

"And what about costumes?" asked Tabitha, the Institute's fashion queen.

" Ororo drew them. They portray perfectly what we imagined," replied Jean. Indeed, Storm had designed and sewn the costumes since the beginning.

"The models left. We should have the finished costumes this week "

"It will leave you one week and a half for training with them," noticed Rogue, arching her eyebrows.

"That's not problem, we only need one day to get used to them. Moreover, we have changed the fabric," answered Jean.

"Yes, I proposed them to use less lycra and more silk" said Ororo "The lycra is practical because it's stretchable and allows a great freedom of movement, but it gives to the costumes a cold and dull aspect. So, I've created costumes with various textures besides Lycra"

"We relied on her to that" approved Scott.

"Anyway," Kurt interjected, folding his legs, curling and uncurling his prehensile, indigo tail above his furry head "I think you've a good program here

"I adored it, really. It's amazing. I can't wait to see it performed with the costumes," declared Amara.

"And with a clearer image" pointed out Evan, referring to the blurry, hazy scene.

" Try to film into skating rink with simple video camera while supervising your students," retorted Anton

"As you have already known for a long time, the National Championship takes place at Chicago," announced the Professor "I've already checked into a hotel and made reservations for our seats."

"All right. The show's finished. Everyone go to bed. It's half past ten." grumbled Logan.

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**The following day, Scott's room, 11.30p.m.**

Ororo and Hank had left to watch a movie about the microcosm, and the Institute was quiet. Unnaturally quiet. Eerily quiet.

Someone opened silently the door and closed it with the same stealthy before slipping under the covers of his bed. Scott wasn't really sleeping but only reacted then.

"Jean? Something's wrong? A nightmare?" he asked by surrounding her with his arms out of habit as she cuddled up to him.

"No, all is fine. I simply wanted to sleep by your side. That's all," she answered as covered them with the duvet up to their shoulders with her telekinesis.

She sighed in elation and reassurance.

"I feel so safe in your arms"

"Something's troubling you?" asked Scott, surprised because he hadn't felt anything of this kind through their bond.

"No, it's just a sensation that I feel when I'm in your arms. The feeling to be invincible "

Scott smiled and threaded his hand through her reddish hair..

"I know this feeling, I feel it too"

She raised her eyes towards him

"Have I said to you I love you more at each day?" she whispered.

"I know it," he answered tapping his temple "and I feel the same thing. I love you, Jean "

They kissed for long minutes before separating, remaining some moment forehead against forehead

"I love you too," she told him before planting a rapid kiss on his lips and sprawling on his body.

"You know..."

He couldn't finish that sentence. Suddenly the door slammed open and a furious Logan strode into the room. Scott and Jean startled and instinctively found themselves sat against the headboard of the bed.

"YA TWO!!!"

He seemed beside himself. With a guttural snarl he pulled out his claws

"Oh no, nothing of those!" screamed Jean and slammed him on the wall by sheer defensive reflex before creating a shield around her and of Scott, preventing Logan from touching them.

"But what has come over you??!!" roared Scott "Have you got nuts???!! What were you going to do with your claws???!! Cutting us to ribbons???!!"

"I caught ya in the act and it's all that ya use to defend yourself??!!!" grumbled Logan while lowering down his voice a decibel..

"In what act?" asked Jean " I've just joined Scott for sleeping beside him. What about it??!"

"FOR SLEEPING BESIDE HIM??!! Your hormones are stuffing in my nose and ya expect I buy that?!!" he yelled, enraged

"We love each other, we've kissed, of course that our hormones are working, it's natural! They don't dictate our actions, is it too difficult to understand??!!" Scott retorted.

"I know very well what ya were about to do!!"

"I can't believe it, you're doing this on purpose!!!!" shouted Jean "We're fully clothed, aren't we? Nothing that you imagine happened or was about to, and even if it was the case, even though we are minor, it's our life!! We don't have to justify ourselves to you!!"

"Jean, go back to your room" growled Logan..

"No, I'm staying with Scott" Jean folded her arms across her chest and glared him back.

"DON'T MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF JEAN!"

"THEN DON'T OBLIGE ME TO USE STRENGTH FOR FORCING YOU TO RESPECT MY CHOICES!" She answered in the same tone. She knew how to do it and she could be really persuasive.

Scott laid a hand on Jean's shoulder for calming her down.

"Why are you overreacting like that, Wolverine? We have been together for nearly nine months but we have done nothing but sleeping in the same bed, and it's far from being the first time," said Scott in a calmer voice, attempting to start a conversation.

"But it'll be the last believe me!!" roared Logan

"And what will you do?? Perhaps locking us up?? You think that it'll retain us?" asked Jean in a harsh voice " We love each other for crying loud, why is it disturbing you so much??"

"If you disgust so much seeing us together, then leave this place because we won't move from here," supported Scott.

"This is not over Scott" grumbled Logan by pointing him with one of his claw while leaving.

"Oh, yes, it is!" Scott shouted back.

Jean shut the door with a bang and locked it with her telekinesis, even though it was a mere rampart against adamantium claws. Both released the breath they had held for several minutes without realizing.

Jean massaged her temples. She wasn't used to maintain her powers for such a long time and simultaneously scream at someone.

"Hey, you'll be alright?" asked Scott

"Yeah, I'm just for a psychic migraine"

Without warning, Kitty phased in through the wall with Rogue.

"Oh no…" murmured Jean, slowly slumping down onto the pillow.

"Nothing happened ok?" Scott barked out.

"Wow, easy" retorted Rogue, "We just came to see if you were ok"

"Sorry, it's just that…" began Scott

"I've, like, never seen Mister Logan so angry before" said Kitty

"Technically you didn't see him" pointed out Jean, relentlessly massaging her temples "Please, avoid speaking about it to everyone"

"Jean, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but, everyone has heard it. In fact, we've been sent as scouts," answered Rogue.

"Oh, that's the last straw will feed Institute's grapevine," sighed the telepathic girl.

"Moreover our relationship with Logan run the risk to get strained" added Scott.

"He left for a ride, you can sleep quietly" said Rogue

"Don't do anything stupid" added Kitty, filtering back into the wall with Rogue.

The young couple found themselves alone again. Scott leaned behind Jean. She had a terrible headache. He could feel it through their bond

"Wait, let me try something. Sit here," he asked her.

Jean did it, wincing in pain. Scott ensconced in front of her.

"Scott, it'll go away"

"Trust me"

He put his thumbs between Jean's eyes and kneaded the area circularly. Then, while pressuring delicately, he slipped his fingertips above the arch of her eyebrows and beyond her ears until his two thumbs met back behind her head. And then he started again

"Hmmm…" Jean purred "Where did you learn that?" She had closed her eyelids and tipped backwards her head. She felt a slight, warm elation.

"Practicing martial arts when I was young," Scott answered without stopping the massage "My professor was a very good person but he died during a lesson. I only found out about it later."

"I'm sorry" said Jean, reopening her eyes.

"Don't be. Kung Fu was his passion, he loved teaching it, I think he didn't want dying in other way; I'd simply have liked to have been informed. Every time I use what he taught me, somehow I'm paying homage to him."

He silently carried on for some minutes.

"That's better?" he asked.

"Yes, I still have a migraine, but it's less strong"

She gave him a kiss.

"Thank you" she whispered.

"You're welcome. Well, we should sleep, the day begins early tomorrow"

Jean nodded and they snuggled together before falling asleep.

(AN: Scott's history is real, as the method. I found out about my Kung-Fu professor's death only more than one year after. I respected him a lot).

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Between the rumors and Logan's black glares, the following days were difficult at the Institute. Hank and Ororo had of course been debriefed by Kitty, but they were far from imagining to what extent Wolverine had been enraged. Certainly it was hard to represent it into one's mind without having seen or heard it. Even though he had a sinister look, he had never laid the blame on the students until then.

The two weeks passed quickly, and at last was about of starting the National Championship.

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**National championship of figure skating, ice dancing trial**

Scott and Jean had brilliantly succeeded in their short program the day before (VIDEO). The new marking system had returned honor to them and they had obtained very good marks, but the older skaters looked down on them and thought they had nothing to fear of them, they were wrong.

The two young skaters were right now introducing themselves for their free program. They were the last competitors.

Jean wore a yellow and copper dress while Scott wore a blue-grey costume with a sun on the front and ropes all around his body.

They stepped on the ice: Scott on the ground, Jean standing up behind his head. The two commentators of TV-channels began to work:

_"It's said that the theme of this program is freedom and tolerance, and was chosen after the awful events which happened more than three months ago,"_ began one of them.

_"I think that all those who saw them at the Regional Championship or during their careers of figure skaters remember them. They stunned us with their 'Romeo and Juliet' program, their so innovative way to skate and their unique lifts"_

" _Yes but the judges hadn't marked them at their right value. Yesterday they carried out a perfect short program, which should disquiet the skaters placed on the podium"_

_"Definitely, but they don't seem to realize the threat that these two young people represent "_

"_They_ _are in their places. The program: 'Anthem for Liberty'__"_

The music began.

_"An original opening," whistled the man, stunned._

_"Yes very original, few skaters start like this lying on the ice, for them it's the second time" _pointed out the commentator

_"What a good idea to have included these bits of Martin Luther King's speech. These young people are beseeching tolerance, what a beautiful vision for the future"_

"_The tempo accelerates... "_

"_That maneuver is splendid, how much grace …"_

"_And watch this one, in duo. Beautiful!"_

"_They know how to appeal the crowd"_

_"Now they're doing a very original lift and not one of the most easy to perform! They're daring."_

_"And this movement, marvelous!"_

_"A symbol for freedom with a move of their hands hinting doves"_

"_Rigth"_

_"A horizontal lift! Very original"_

"_I would say even more: unique, never seen before," voiced the woman _

_"And another reversed lift, so stupefying as ever!"_

"_It's very whirling…"_

_"…Yes, someone could reproach them a lack of speed, but they compensated for it on the technique; and the tempo adds the dramatic ingredient necessary to the theme."_

The program came to an end, and the crowd applauded.

"_They're young, but really promising"_

_"Let the judges decide it, but it seems to me right that they go up on the podium"_

When Scott and Jean left the skating rink, their trainer was the first to congratulate them.

"Congratulation, my children, congratulation!"

Ororo offered them water bottles as they sat down and waited for their marks. Young female skaters brought to them cuddly toys and bouquets of flowers. The young couple was holding hands while waiting, and they weren't disappointed.

_"It's incredible, these two young people have become national champions with less than seventeen years of age!" _

_"They can have broken all the records! They are automatically selected for the World Championship which will take place at Anchorage in four months. We'll look forward to see them again." _

The festivities were very great that evening in the mansion, and so much in the Institute like in the school, a week of holidays was granted to them.

Review please ;)


	13. Chapter 13

_Sorry I can put more, the continuation isn't yet corrected_

_I think it's better to send several little part that only one and less often ;)_

_Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)

* * *

_

Only sport magazines spoke about their victory. At school, skating fans that had followed the championship on television congratulated them and asked for autographs for first time. Scott and Jean realized that it wasn't so easy to do it, though, and the newfound popularity didn't turn their heads..

Anton was already speaking about the next program and made them listen to several songs. They had settled on ' Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff. But he only did that; when holidays came, he kept his promise and the two young tasted the first time off they had got in more than two years for Scott and even longer for Jean.

The second day of their holidays, the Institute residents were to leave for two days and a night to visit an amusement park in Florida, but Scott and Jean refused to go with them -their gold rule during the holidays was: doing nothing-. After expressing some reservations about leaving them alone, the adults accepted on the only condition that they'd contact them at the least problem.

The Brotherhood was calm and quiet since the last trashing they had taken, and the building was well protected

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The next morning Jean woke up at ten o'clock. Everything was quiet. There was a knock at the door, and she opened it telekinetically.

" Oh Scott, you shouldn't have" she said when she saw that he was bringing her the breakfast to the bed

"First holidays, first time alone in the Institute, it's an occasion that we have to celebrate."

"No Evan pinning his posters to the ceiling…" said Jean

"No Kitty's cooking…"

"No untimely arrival of Kurt…"

"No stupid quarrels or bets between Roberto and Bobby…" Scott added

"No Tabitha, Amara and Jubilee's frame-up …"

"No Rogue's bad mood… "

"No Logan." finished Jean with a smile.

"Heaven for two days"

"Especially with this preferential treatment" said Jean before kissing Scott "Thank you"

They ate together. Later they went for a stroll in the park, cuddling together constantly. They were relaxed. For two days there would be no need to hide.

They spent the afternoon in front of the TV. Scott had recalled it was one of the things Jean had never done. They settled down on the sofa and watched several films of Stars wars; settled on the sofa, but their minds weren't on the movie...

After having dinner in the evening they borrowed Kitty's little TV and installed it in Jean's room where they intended to sleep. They flopped down on the bed, curled up together and watched a film. Well, 'watch' was a little exaggerated, considering they didn't pay it more attention than to the Star Wars movies. In fact they spent that time making out, which was what they had done most of the time during this day, and the movie finished without them seeing the end.

Scott switched it off and they started again where they were. After more than nine months spent together, they had gone beyond simple timid kisses, and their hands had become more active. Finally happened what was supposed to:

_Scott_? said Jean through their bond, inebriated by his caresses.

_Hum_? he asked without breaking their kiss.

_You remember what you've said this morning? Nobody's in the Institute..._ she left the sentence hanging meaningfully in the air

Scott didn't take a long time to realize where she was getting at. He delicately broke their kiss.

"Jean? You're referring to…"

She nodded, smiling and blushing slightly at the same time.

"You, I don't know, but I believe that I'm ready," she told him, gazing at his eyes. Not a tough thing since he was hovering just above her.

" Wow," Scott wheezed out raggedly "

Jean smiled

"It's no problem if you don't.."

"No it's not that, I'm ready too and I want it, it's just that I wasn't expecting it, that's all"

"This kind of thing isn't scheduled, Mr. Summers," giggled Jean in a suave voice, while glided her hands along his back and under his clothes. "If I have to give myself to someone, I want it to be you, because I love you," she added

"I love you too," he whispered before recapturing her lips.

They let their instinct to guide them, at least until their hormones, their desire and overall their love sent it packing, just as they had tossed out the most of their cumbersome clothes. For the first time they were just in their underwear and their skins were burning with eagerness for further touch.

Scott was kissing Jean in the neck, inflaming her skin, when he realized something.

_Jean ... we… haven't_...

... _protection_...? she answered after having focused a little her thoughts._Don't... move_

Scott heard a drawer opening by itself before a tiny sachet levitated towards them

"Jean?" asked Scott, perplexed. Did she have condoms in her room?.

"We can't be too careful…I thought that they could be useful some day," she blew slightly on his ear before nibbling his earlobe. "One day like today"

"Are you sure of your choice?"

"Yes, I've never been surer of something for my entire life," she answered with determination. "I want to take this step with you"

Through the flood of feelings that his caresses, skin rubbing skin, were giving her, she perceived through their bond a combat in Scott's mind: desire versus fear. He was afraid to hurt her.

_Scott, don't worry about that _

Scott wasn't surprised that she'd felt it. He replied:.

_I don't want to hurt you... _

_If we take our time, everything will be right. And even though it hurts me, it won't be your fault; it's like that for every women,_ she reassured him

She felt his mind calming down across their wide opened rapport. They finished undressing each other amid caresses and kisses and their bodies were soon nude, grinding each other for the first time, which was even more inebriating. At first, they were happy with a simple embrace during their first full skin-to-skin contact, which was transmitting waves of pleasure and desire through their bodies.

_I love you, Scott_ she sent through their bond, extremely aroused because that moment was announcing the imminent lose of her virginity.

You're so beautiful, Jean he answered, stroking her hair before kissing her again, letting his hands and lips explore new areas like her breasts, which left her wanting more of his warmth.

Scott and Jean took their time to learn how their bare bodies were and to practice the foreplay. Amidst kisses and caresses their bodies relaxed but also prepared, anticipating while becoming impatient; their heartbeats and breathing accelerated as the desire, the craving for closure, to give away themselves increased. Between words of love, sensual stimuli, tender compliments and moments of very intense exchanges of emotions and feelings, they gave the step and they didn't regret their decision.

Scott did everything in his power to Jean feel the best experience during her first time, making it unforgettable. And he didn't fail.

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When Jean awoke, naked, almost laid on Scott, she smiled remembering of the last night. It had been fantastic. She hadn't felt that pain that some girls talked about as related their first time as if it was a bad patch to go through. They had said that it had been awfully painful, that they hadn't felt pleasure and let alone had a climax..

They might have been not in love or their boyfriend didn't really love them, thought Jean, because she hadn't lived the same experience. Scott had been very gentle and attentive. Of course she had felt some pain, but after having getting used to that new sensation, she had felt pleasure; and if what they had felt at the same time wasn't an orgasm, she didn't know what it could be…

Scott awoke while she was still dwelling in it.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she greeted him with a kiss.

"Oh, Jean. I had a wonderful dream "

She laughed because she knew he was referring to last night.

"I love hearing your laughter, do you know that?" asked Scott. "I like seeing you smiling, waking up by my side. I love you "

"Me too"

"I guess you don't regret it either'" he asked while his hands stroked her back and his lips planted a kiss on her neck

"Quite the opposite," she said, closing her eyes before suddenly realizing something "My god, Logan will know! We'll have to change the sheets and..."

She was stopped by a prolonged kiss in which she let her worries melt away. They were happy and were closer than ever to each other.

_What time is it?_ he asked her

_Nine o'clock_

_They won't come back until seven o'clock in the evening,_ he reassured her _Why not take advantage of that?_

_Hmm, the idea is tempting she answered as every part of her body was warming up with his touch._

That time was even more marvelous than the first one. No more apprehension, only the desire to become one again, to give and to receive pleasure.

They awoke only at midday and, after a long kiss, distributed the tasks. Scott went to throw out the garbage and carry the TV back to Kitty's room, Jean dealt with washing the sheets and airing the bedroom. Then t they each took a shower in separate bathrooms while reflected again about their night and morning together, which would remain engraved in their memory. Finally Scott was careful in disarranging slightly his bed's sheets so nobody would notice that he hadn't slept on it. Then he joined Jean, who was finishing making her own bed

"Do you think it'll be enough?"

" Let in some fresh air just to sure, but it should go away. Anyway he doesn't dictate our lives," replied Scott tartly. "I'm starving. May I take you out to have lunch downtown?"

Jean agreed, with enthusiasm.

"Give me two minutes while I dry my hair!"

"Ok, I'll wait you in the hall"

He kissed her and left the room. Jean collapsed limply onto her bed, her mind still elsewhere. She couldn't believe what was happening to her, what had happened. Finally, she erased her dreamy smile off her face and rose up to get ready.

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They had a meal in a small but intimate restaurant where they spoke about all and nothing. Once in the car, going back to the Institute, they reconsidered The Issue:

"How will we manage, Scott? In the Institute there is too many people, the doors mean nothing and besides is Logan" said Jean.

"I know..."

"We've to find another place where we can... be undisturbed "

Scott pondered over it some few moments.

"I believe that I've an idea, you'll see"

They arrived near the Institute but Scott parked in front of the gate. He got out and opened the door for Jean.

"Follow me" he asked her, holding out his hand to her.

She accepted his hand and he led her towards a large groove of massive grey-maroon trees and dense bright-green thicket..

"When I arrived, they were only shrubs, planted here for hiding an exit of the Institute being in a small outbuilding that the Professor could easily make pass for the guardian's one" he explained to her

They bent over to pass under branches and had to push others of them before arriving in front of the building.

"Wow" said Jean by seeing the small house "Who knows about it?"

"Apart from me and the professors, nobody" smiled Scott "It's equipped for deceiving, but it must need some cleaning"

He led her to the entry.

"It's locked from the inside that means, if we don't want to be seen passing by the Institute..."

"…I'm the only one of us able to open it" finished Jean by joining the gesture to the word thanks to her telekinesis

"Exactly"

She pushed the door:

"Really well equipped" she commented "nobody coming in here would think that this building is hiding a secret exit. What time is it?"

"3 p.m."

"Which leaves us three and half an hour for cleaning, let's say three to be quiet"

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Review please ;) 


	14. Chapter 14

_Sorry I can put more, the continuation isn't yet corrected_

_I think it's better to send several little part that only one and less often ;)_

_Thanks to miss maïa for the corrections and the comments, she's working on the continuation ;)

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_

"Which leaves us three and half an hour for cleaning, let's say three to be quiet"

"You seem to be well decided" said Scott by taking her in his arms, her perfume was even more inebriating him than before.

If we have to hide to live our love, then we'll hide, as you said, it's not up to Logan to dictate our life to us" she answered.

"And about intimacy, the Institute isn't a reference" approved Scott "You're right, we'll be quiet here considering nobody comes here, we'll just have to be discrete"

"No need to pass the door, so no identification which would betray us" Jean pointed out. "And we can park in the bushes."

"That's right, we'll only have to say that we're coming back from training, there's even a shower here"

"Really?" Jean asked, astonished "But if we use it that we'll be known, right?"

"I have to check it but I believe that it's connected on the general system, so nothing will indicate that the water consumption is coming from there"

Jean laughed:

"Look at us, two teenagers building up plans to be able to make love without the risk of being killed"

"A true Romeo and Juliet tragedy"

" **Now, my Romeo, we must start cleaning**if we want to make this place clean and to return to the Institute before the others come back, or we'll be discovered"

They had just enough time to go back to the Institute, to change themselves and start to prepare the dinner before the return of the others

"Here we are!" said Storm.

"Hum, that smells good and I'm starving!" said Kurt.

Part of the group went up to their rooms, the other went to the kitchen.

"Then you two didn't have problems?" asked Hank.

"No, not an alarm and not a phone call" answered Scott while passing a bowl to Jean.

"It was brilliant, you should've come, Kitty had vomited on Kurt in theSix Flags it was giant I have it all on video"

"Fantastic Evan" said Jean "but it isn't the kind of thing you should tell someone about the weekend you passed..."

"Yes not really" Amara approved with a pout of disgust "And you, what have you done?"

"Oh nothing special, idleness, day in front of the television, only new things "said Jean who, in a way, wasn't lying.

" We've also taken advantage of it to go to lunch downtown and to do some cleaning"

"And even the dinner, thank you children" said the Professor.

Logan was observing them with attention, but Scott and Jean didn't let anything appear, they had mentally prepared themselves and didn't put their foot in it.

In the evening, the telepath knew that Logan was inspecting their rooms.

_I can't believe it! I didn't think that he'd go there_! she transmitted to Scott.

_Is he suspecting something?_

_I don't think so. Considering the state in which the simple fact of surprising us in the same bed had put him, if he felt that we had crossed the step I think that we'd be aware of that, he'd be projecting a lot_

And indeed Logan didn't find anything.

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During three months Scott and Jean fooled everyone. Everyday, they trained increasingly hard on three new programs. The short one was a Quickstep and foxtrot imposed, not easy to realize because it was very technical; their long program remained '_Carmina Burana'_ , and for their exhibition they prepared it on '_Danse mon Esmeralda_' from the French musical comedy _'Notre Dame de Paris_ '.

Since they had their licence and that nobody need to go look for them, they could very well say that they finished the training at 7.30p.m when in fact it stopped one hour before, then what they did of their time remained secret.

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Two weeks before the world championship which took place in Alaska, at Scott's roots, Jean caught him in a corridor at school and said that she had to speak to him, that they would meet at 3p.m. in their hiding-place. She wasn't looking good and seemed nervous and scared but didn't let anything pass through their bond. For once they finished early and didn't have training: Anton had had to leave just like Storm who would return this day from of a week of holidays in Africa.

When Scott arrived, he saw Jean's SUV camouflaged into the bushes where they were accustomed to park and concluded that she was already there. He checked that nobody was coming and parked his car at the same place before going to their hiding place. Jean was sat on the bed, turning her back to the door.

"Here I am, so what did you want to speak to me about?" he asked

Jean startled and turned back, she hadn't heard him enter, the teenager saw that she was crying:

"Hey, Jean what's up?" he worried by going immediately at her sides.

"Scott..."

"Whatever is it, you can tell me" he said for encouraging her.

She seemed to take her courage with two hands and declared:

"Scott, I... I think I'm pregnant"

"I... you... pregnant?" he mumbled under the surprise before gathering his mind "We took precautions…maybe it's a false alarm?"

Jean rose, turning her back to him, keeping her arms around herself

"I'm tired, I have headaches, I was sick this morning..."

"For these points there can be other causes: the trainings or your powers, and last, everyone had been sick this morning, it's Kitty who had prepared breakfast without taking time to inform us..."

"And the fact that I'm late? Three weeks Scott" she said before losing her cold blood "Oh I'm sorry, I... if I'm pregnant, what will I become?"

"Hey" told Scott by rising up for surrounding her waist with his arms, his chin posed on one of her shoulders. "Two people are needed for conceiving a child, you're not alone" he reassured her

"But it's me who must have again forgotten to take the pill"

"Listen, w have to begin by buying a pregnancy test"

"I had planned to do it, but before I wanted to tell you, I…."

He made her turn toward him, keeping his arms around her waist:

"Jean, settle down" he said by wiping out her tears "Whatever comes, I won't leave you, do you hear me?"

"I know... "

"If you're really pregnant and if you want to keep the child, we'll take a break of two or three years to raise it, but I'd be there, I'd remain at your side"

He rocked her a few moments, the time for her to calm down.

"I'll go downtown, it'd be better if I go alone" she finished to say, wiping again her tears

"Ok, I'll wait you in your room, it'll begin to have circulation and it wouldn't be discrete to stay here. Be careful on the road" he said before repeated "Whatever it comes, I love you"

"Come what may" she repeated for giving herself some courage before quickly kissing him, catching her purse and leaving.

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**Pharmacy of the center of Bayville, 4 p.m.**

Ororo was just coming back from Africa by a commercial flight. She had spent excellent days but also brought back a terrible headache and had decided to stop at a pharmacy. She had found the herb tea she needed and was about to go to pay it when she noticed a shade of red that she immediately recognized.

Jean had gone to the farthest pharmacy to be sure not to meet anybody she knew. She had taken a pregnancy test to read the packing, there was so much...

"Jean?"

The teenager startled and hid the pack in her back by reflex which made Ororo smile:

"Jean, it's useless to hide it when you're still in front of the display" she pointed out

"I..., I didn't think I'd find on anyone here, I was surprised that's all"

"And I'm also surprised, I didn't imagine that you and Scott were so intimate yet…" said Storm "Usually the girls come to see me at the least occasion, the boys, them, turn more to Hank; but you two, you've always been independent…"

Jean was perplexed to see Ororo's calm, who one took one moment of silence before asking:

" How long has it been ?"

"A few months" answered Jean, keeping on looking the ground

"Ah yes, I'm really out on it" she realized before asking "You didn't use protection?"

"Of course we have. At the beginning we used condoms, then we made tests and I took the pill, but sometimes it happened to me to forget it with the tiredness of the trainings...and…but until there we had had luck..."

"At least you were responsible" emphasized Ororo "What are your symptoms?"

"Headaches, tiredness"

"Lateness?"

"Three weeks"

"Hmm... and Scott knows ?"

"Of course, I've just spoken to him about it"

"How did he take it?"

"He's waiting for me in my room for the test, he told me that he'd support me whatever happened"

Storm smiled, she was proud of Scott's behaviour

"Ororo, I'm afraid..." admitted Jean, a tear running trough her cheek "... I'm so young, I... would you please stay for the test?"

The weather witch was well seeing that she was about to break down. She took Jean in her arms a few moments before answering to her:

"Of course Jean. Listen, we'll already buy a test, look, this one, it's marked there that it's approved and that it even detects recent pregnancies" she said to her by catching the box.

Jean thanked her. Ororo was the mother image that she wanted to have, listening, understanding and there when a student needed her, like a mother had to be. She took the box and went to pay it.

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**Half an hour later, Jean's room**

Scott and Ororo were both sat at the end of the bed, Jean, she, was settled on Cyclops's tights. The test was posed on the desk with a timer, they had only to wait. Scott was blowing soft words to Jean for releasing her a little, but the more the result approached the worse it was.

Suddenly, somebody knocked on the door and entered without awaiting an answer:

"Ororo I smelled that ya had returned"

"Yes, I'll come in a few minutes Logan, but..."

The timer sounded.

"But what….?" grumbled Wolverine by seeing the test.

Ororo retorted immediately:

"It's for me, I had an adventure and..."

"Well tried Ororo. If Scott wasn't here and if I didn't have a very developed sense of smell I'd've believed it" answered Logan " So what does that means!!?"

"You know perfectly what that means Logan!!" retorted Ororo now on the defensive.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, SHUT UP!!!" Jean shouted without detaching herself from Scott; she had the eyes reddened by the tears and skin-deep emotions. "Ororo's here because I asked her to" she said "get out of here Logan"

"Ya dare..." he grumbled.

"Logan, leave" supported Ororo before adding "Please"

He sighed and left unwillingly.

"Well, who will see the result?" asked the weather witch

"I will" said Scott by releasing himself from Jean's hug.

He caught the test and the box. Here no code of color, but lines one, there was only one on it, which meant for this test that it was...

"Negative" Scott announced in a neutral voice.

This tone astonished Storm because the majority of the young people of his age would have been relieved. Jean pushed a sigh then bit her lower lip for holding back tears

"What's wrong Jean?" worried Ororo "It's negative, everything's alright, it was a false alarm"

Scott had posed back the test and was coming towards Jean.

"I believe it's more complicated than that Storm" he said by taking Jean in his arms as she was bursting into tears. "Hey, ssshhhhh, settle down, I feel you ambivalent"

Jean managed to calm herself under Scott's words and rocks

"Because…I am" she said "a part of me... is reassured and relieved of... all this anguish, but another is... another is somehow disappointed. That can appear crazy but... but I'd a little made myself with... with the idea of having a child with you…"

Scott laid a kiss on her forehead

"We've all the time in front of us" he said in a tender voice before changing of tone "But on the other hand something needs to be stopped"

"Scott, no!" exclaimed the teenager who knew about what and especially about who he was thinking.

"Jean, this abuse of power of Logan can't last anymore" he said with assurance "He'll end by passing at the act and he'd yet have done it if you hadn't stopped him last time. I've to settle it, I don't want him to hurt you"

"He won't do anything to me, he's overprotecting me…it's against you that he's the angrier, he seemed to put everything on your back…" said Jean

"That's another reason for clarifying the things" emphasized Scott

"I can't let you go alone, he won't listen to you, he'll…" tried Jean, the tears overwhelming her again. She was scared at the idea of what Logan could do to him in his state of mind

Scott felt her fright through their bond, she was afraid he could seriously wound him or even kill him in his anger. When he was in this state, Wolverine animal's instinct was resurfacing and all reason seemed to escape to him.

"I won't let him hurt me Jean, I'll defend myself if I have to" he answered, tightening her in his arms "And I have to go alone, you're not in a state to confront him"

She knew that he was right. She briefly kissed him.

"Be careful" she begged him, letting him go reluctantly.

"Don't worry" he answered to her before turning himself to Ororo "Can I leave her in your hands?"

"Of course, but I also ask you to be careful. Especially if there it was only a pale copy of his behaviour of a few months ago... "

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Review please  


	15. Chapter 15

_Sorry for the mistakes, but deciding to post it like it, without waiting for the beta reading, is the only way for you to have a regular update from now. So, you'll have to deal with it ;)_

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Logan was turning like a lion in its cage into the living-room. He intended to wedge Scott, but he was caught unaware:

"Logan, that can't last any more!!"

It was Scott and he was obviously angry, he had notch, Wolverine couldn't disavow it.

"What a coincidence, I was precisely goin' to say ya the same thin'!!"

"The relations that Jean and I have concern only us, you haven't to say your word and even less to threaten us!"

"Ya slept together!!!" roared Logan

"It's what happens when two people are in love!!!"

"And ya knocked her up!!!"

"For your guidance, the test was negative, Jean is not pregnant and if that had been the case, believe it or not, I'd have been with her whatever would have been her decision!!"

"YA'RE LYING!!"

"NEVER!!! I'D NEVER LIE TO JEAN, DO YOU HEAR ME??!! NEVER!!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH YOU TWO!" shouted another voice, Professor Xavier's one "and in particular you Logan!" he added when the silence had returned.

"Scott and Jean sleep together, he almost knocked her up and ya want me to calm myself Chuck??!!"

"Scott is right, their relation concern only them and I trust him when he says that he'd have assumed his part of responsibility"

"Ya support them??" said Wolverine, incredulous.

"I respect their private life Logan! I've enough of your fit of anger toward them!! Some months before, you have surprised them as they weren't doing anything else that being on the edge of falling asleep together!! I didn't intervene because I felt that they had the situation in hands and I thought that you would reason yourself but you're carrying on!"

"They're just seventeen years old for cryin' out loud!"

"And they're more adult than some people having thirty years old!!" retorted Charles "They're not children Logan, they're mature, responsible, independent and really in love. What would you like? That they had chosen to do as the young people of their age and that, for more than two years, they had accumulated relations without tomorrow?"

Scott was going to speak, but the Professor asked him by telepathy to let him take care of it.

"You know what I think Logan? You're angry because you control nothing and you're scared"

"Scared? Me? Ha!"

"Yes you're scared that they break each other heart, but it's not a reason for showing you aggressive towards them, I wont tolerate that you threat them anymore is this understood?"

"Yeah" retorted Logan before throwing a bad look at Scott and saying "I'll make a turn"

He left the place, leaving Scott alone with the Professor, who he looked with perplexity.

"I had never seen you get angry"

"Well, we have never seen everything" the powerful telepath told him by smiling before asking "How is Jean?

"Fine, she... she's relieved on a side but disappointed on the other"

"Now you understand better why I defend you two?"

"I know, since the beginning you've understood that it was serious between us"

Ororo and Jean joined them, at the sound of the screams, the weather witch hadn't been able to restrain the young telepath. Fortunately that Hank was outside with the other students, at least this would remain secret.

" Well, if Logan left for a ride it's because he needed to reflect and that's not so bad," commented Storm.

"Are you alright?" Jean whispered, slipping herself into Scott's arms.

"Yes, don't worry"

"He didn't touch you?" She asked, checking for herself

"No he didn't" he comforted her

"You displayed quite a bit of courage standing up to Wolverine." said the Professor..

"It wasn't courage, it was just fed up" answered Scott

" The thing which astonishes me," said Ororo, " is that Logan seemed as surprised as I to discover that you had had sexual relations, but he should have smelled it..."

"Not if nothing happened here..."answered the Professor

/**Very good idea the house of our so-called guardia**n/ he sent by telepathy to the two young mutants

Both blushed slightly

"How do you know?" asked Scott

"The day when I had to gather you all quickly, I had to find you……"

"Then you were aware" said Jean

"Of course, I'm a telepath just like you Jean" he answered "but I didn't see why I would have to interfere, I trust you, it's your life"

Several hours later, returning on his bike, Logan came to speak to the two young people. As they saw him coming, Scott and Jean put themselves on their guards, each one wanting to protect the other, and Logan saw at that point he had gone too far. It wasn't easy, but he apologized in his way, for his behavior.

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**Two weeks later, Montreal Airport**

" The passengers of the flight A8 751 for Anchorage, Alaska, are asked to go to embarkation door 6. We apologize for the delay."

Two adults were accompanying a small ten year-old girl who was stamping

her feet with impatience

"We'll be late! We'll be late!"

"We won't Annabelle, we knew this might happen. Don't worry, you'll see your idols," said a bearded man.

They showed their tickets and entered the tunnel leading to the plane

"Thank you again Uncle John for taking me along to the championship!!"

"Hey, it's not everyday that my little niece is ten years-old, and moreover that the world championship is in Alaska. If it had been in China it wouldn't have been possible"

Someone showed them to their seats

"Why didn't Aunt Elaine want to come?"

" Because we don't live together anymore, since a little before your birth"

"Yes but why? We see her at Christmas"

A young woman of around twenty-five who was accompanying them intervened:

"The adult stories are complicated Annabelle" she said "Just think that in less than six hours you'll be in Anchorage"

"I'll really see them! I can't believe it! I'll even ask for an orthography"

"An autograph Annabelle" laughed John

"Ah?"

"You know, it's odd that you like ice-skating" said the young woman, Sarah.

"Why?"

"My little sister, your cousin, she also liked it, she was very gifted, she was even a national champion"

"A national champion of figure skating?" asked the girl astonished "I don't remember her anymore. Maybe I was too young?"

"No but she was often training when you came"

"And she doesn't skate anymore? She doesn't like it anymore?"

"It's a long story..."answered Sarah.

"You'll see, Scott and Jean are super goods skaters, I'm looking forward to see them for real."

"We don't doubt it" said the two adults to whom the little girl hadn't stopped talking to about them.

They didn't turn a hair at the first name '_Jean'_. After all, there were hundreds of Jeans in the United States.

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When they arrived at the skating rink, they were, as scheduled, on time and took their seats close to the rink, behind the judges. The best seats, because the skaters would face them. It was the medal ceremony for the couples skaters. John and Sarah remembered that the last time they had gone to see an ice skating competition, it was to see Jean become the national champion.

An interlude followed, so that they could patch up the ice

"Great, next it's the ice-dancing!" said Annabelle.

The high speakers announced that the skaters were outside.

"Can I go?"

"Not alone" John answered

"But I'll be really careful! Please Uncle John?"

"You'll remember where we're sat?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, yes"

"Ok, then go ahead. If you get lost, you wait for us on the spot, ok?" "

She agreed and left, satisfied.

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Scott and Jean had performed a good short program the day before **(VIDEO)**. They had gone at the beginning of the first group and today they would go on at the beginning of the last one for the free program. But before, like after the imposed dance, they had to face the journalists interested in the two young phenomena, and now they were in a full session of dedications. It was the first time that so much was asked of them and it was surprising. Kitty had said to them that she had even found a website on them.

Annabelle was waiting, she had pulled out a picture of their last program, and when her turn finally came, she blushed to the ears.

"We won't eat you" said Jean with a smile.

"I... I adore what you do, you... you gave to me the desire to practice ice-dancing" she mumbled by handing the photograph to them

"What's your name?" asked Scott

"Annabelle, Annabelle Portman" she said

"Thank you for your support then, Annabelle" Jean told her, signing the photograph

"I'm sure that you'll do something fabulous tonight" she answered with a smile.

"Thank you Annabelle"

A voice announced the end of the interlude. John and Sarah were relieved to see Annabelle coming back. Seeing her smile, they knew she'd seen her idols.

"I spoke to them and I've had their orth... their autograph!"

"Let's see" they asked.

She showed them the photograph:

"It's their program from the national championship. You see? They've signed with my name there "

"Oh god..." said Sarah, her eyes fixed on the female skater

"It's Jean..." stammered John.

"Yes I told you, Scott and Jean, and her last name is _'Grey'_ just like your's "

"Because she's my daughter," answered John, shocked. "She's there! I must speak to her even though she doesn't want to see me! I've got to try!" He said, standing.

Sarah restrained him by the arm.

"Dad, they won't let you see her now, and she must concentrate"

"I can't believe it, I thought that she had given up ice-skating"

"So did I…." said Sarah.

Annabelle, was perplexed and didn't understand very well but, when the trial started, her interest was fell to the rink.

The couples followed one another onto the ice and then there was the six minutes

of warming up for the last group, and they saw Jean ::

"My God, she's changed so much," said John, not letting her out of his sight during all the session. He was feeling a strong emotion travelling through his body. It was his little girl, it was Jean, she was alive and she seemed fine.

The warming up was over, the speakers announced.

_" Here comes the promising American couple: Jean Grey and Scott Summers."_

_"The costumes are superb as always. They'll skate to the powerful piece: 'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff "_

Much applause welcomed their entrance onto rink. The two young people Wore black costumes with nuances of blue and white on more veiled parts. They greeted the crowd as usual.

They took their positions and the music started. The commentators began their work:

_"The program has hardly started and again we find this power and this originality that characterizes them…" _said the woman commentator

_"Yes, look at the synchronized ice-skating, perfect…" _

_"A very original lift. "_

"…_The crowd seems to approve." _

_"There is so much passion between them, look at this face to face spin. Superb." _

_"Very original this series of jumps by Scott. He did them at the national championships," _recalled the commentator.

_"What beautiful attitudes, very flexible, very artistic, the_ _crowd is asking for more… Look at this other superb position." _

_"They're exceptional ice-skaters, we don't have any impression of them other than being a really solid couple."_

_"It's exceptional what they can offer, we almost don't hear the music anymore, it's as if they were incarnating it…a very well performed choreography..." _

_"Vertical lift." _

_"And another reversed lift , a new one. This couple doesn't have limits."_

The final arrived **(VIDEO)**

_"Oh there! We'll let you listen to this fantastic standing ovation!"_ Said the commentator.

_"They've once again given their all!" _

_"It... it's literally raining flowers and soft toys on the skating rink!" _

_"It was splendid, really splendid!"_

Scott and Jean hugged and briefly kissed each other before greeting the public

"Scott Summers and Jean Grey" said a high speaker voice which made start another ovation.

The young couple ended up by leaving the ice and received their marks.

_"The provisional classification set up them in first place, they have a large lead, so they have a good change to keep it," _pointed out the woman

John and Sarah were in tears, this program had reached their heart. Annabelle spoke highly of them, she hadn't understood the true reason of these tears. She had also sent a stuff toy on the ice and had been overjoyed to see Jean picking it up.

The others couples followed. Scott and Jean had gone to the locker rooms to avoid being too stressed by the other passages. Anton went to fetch them when the last couple was going to receive its marks. Seeing his face, they knew that they were still on the podium.

_"Let's see these marks for this Chinese couple"_

_"Technically they could compete with Scott and Jean, but chorographically it was much colder" _said the woman

_"Yes and let's not forget Jean's reversed lifts which, until now are their own and give them a famous advantage "_

_"The judges take a long time to decide..."_

_"Here are the marks" _announced the commentator

_"They are good, enough for supersede the Russians but not enough to dislodge our two younger representatives from first place!!" _

Jean and Scott embraced each other, wild with joy, and members of the Institute went to jump on them, before Anton pushed them back. He looked at them one moment without saying anything before exclaiming and hopping.

"World champions! You're world champions children!!"

And he took them in his arms, congratulating them again and again in Russian. The journalists came to them:

"Congratulation, you won almost everything this year, aren't you disappointed not to be able to carry on with the Olympic Games next year?" asked a blond woman

"Well," Jean started "No, I think it's better this way "

"Jean's right" approved Scott "This year was difficult, we have our studies to continue and having only six weeks for correctly preparing new programs wouldn't have been possible"

"You've skated together for two years now and you train until eight hours per days is that right?" asked another journalist, a man this time.

"That's right" said Jean "Then we'll have one year for preparing our programs correctly, and why not go for a trophy?"

"We'll find you by office at next year's world championship" said the woman "Congratulation again"

During the medal ceremony, the first with as much people and especially supporting and applauding them, they were proud of the work they'd achieved there. For provoking a true ovation they just had to greet the crowd, it was something quite fascinating. Jean had received an enormous bouquet and both of them had gold medals around their necks. Both were beaming.

_"They're young, they're beautiful, they're talented and full of ardour" _commented the woman

_"It's there that we see the importance of the relationship between the skaters. These two young people are obviously together and we feel it in their ice-skating"_

_"Yes that explains the inimitable passion that they transmit in their choreographies, it's not a comedy, it's real, so the impact is stronger"_

_"Indeed, as surprising as it may seem, few ice-dancers or pair-skaters are together in real life" _recalled the commentator

The flashes were shooting through the audience.

_"We'll see all the world champions of the various disciplines, tomorrow afternoon for the exhibition_._ I wish you a good evening" _finished the commentator. for the tv-channel

The two young people ended up leaving the ice and were submerged by another wave of young mutants. John, Sarah and Annabelle moved to the bottom of the steps which were emptying, before going towards Jean.

"Excuse me, you don't have the authorization to be in this area" a security man said, stopping them.

"I would like to speak to Jean Grey, I'm her father, look at my identity card, or my daughter's, her sister" he showed him the cards

"Hmm, one moment please. Stay here"

The guard went to speak to a rather squat man who turned over and came toward them without a very friendly air:

- "YA! How dare ya?! Askin' to see Jean after what ya did to her???!!!"

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Review please  


	16. Chapter 16

_Sorry for the mistakes, but deciding to post it like it, without waiting for the beta reading, is the only way for you to have a regular update from now. So, you'll have to deal with it ;)_

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"YA! How dare ya?! Askin' to see Jean after what ya did to her???!!!"

"What we did to her?" repeated John, frowning, perplexed.

"Don't fake innocent! Abandonin' yer own daughter at fifteen years old! it didn't stay in yer mind bub?!"

"What? But Jean ran away" said Sarah

"Yer lyin'!!"

"Logan!" a voice belonging to a man in wheelchair stopped him "I believe that they really don't know what you're speaking about. Perhaps they are as much the victims as Jean in this story"

Astonishment, the other man didn't contradict him and left the one in wheelchair alone with them.

"Allow me to introduce myself. Charles Xavier, I'm Jean's tutor "

"Her tutor?" asked John

"Come on, let's go inside over there, we'll be able to discuss in the heat and more freely. I believe that we have a lot to say to each other," Said Charles. "You can leave the child with my students. They will take care of her."

John and Sarah agreed, Annabelle was delighted to be able to approach her idols again even though at this very moment they weren't there. Her uncle and her cousin followed the Professor Xavier.

"Sit down please" Charles invited them once in the office.

Both Greys took a seat.

"First of all, I would like to have your version of the facts"

John hesitated a few seconds before beginning:

"My ex-wife, Elaine, had Jean's guard and was pushing her to become a champion of figure skating. Jean had admitted to me at the national, two years and a half ago, that she was tired. A few days after, Elaine called me for announcing that they had received threats and so, she had changed all the phone numbers of the family. It's then that she informed me that Jean had run away; she said that she had become insane," said John. "She spoke about her as a possessed person, she was almost hysterical. I couldn't imagine my daughter alone in the streets in full winter, so I changed back my phone number as soon as possible and I searched for her believe me. I called private clinics and hospitals but that didn't give us anything. Elaine had added that she had turned herself against us and ice-skating. That she hated us."

The Professor had placed his hands under his chin:

"Hmm, so you're as much the victims as Jean in this story, because it didn't happen like it at all," He said. "First of all, and in order for you to better understand the circumstances, I must reveal to you something that you may have trouble believing and accepting, but it's the reality. Your daughter isn't like everybody, she has a difference coded into her DNA. What we call the X-gene"

"You mean that she would be a kind of mutant?" asked John before adding" I studied of medicine"

"Exactly"

"But what's this story?" scoffed Sarah

"You see, because of the pressure exerted by her mother, Jean started to hear voices. Then, when this pressure had become too much, that worsened and objects started to move around her "

"But it's not possible" retorted John, shacking his head

"Your wife lied to you, Mr. Grey. Jean never ran away. Indeed, she has found herself in the street, but because she had suddenly been abandoned "

"What??"

"When her powers appeared, your wife believed she was possessed and rejected her. She cut all the supplies to Jean and moved in the day without leaving her the possibility of contacting anybody "

"No, my mother couldn't have done that to Jean, and your story of mutation is absurd" defended Sarah

**/It can appear like that, but it's true/** the Professor told them by telepathy

Both Greys startled.

"But how did you…??" they said

"If I know so much about mutants it's because, as your daughter, I am one," answered Charles. "Approximately fifty years ago, I decided to open a school for collecting, and helping the young people who had the gene X and were rejected by their family or unable to control their powers. At the beginning we were very few, now, in the new generations, the cases of mutations are more frequentok"

"You... you're a mutant? As in the show '_MutantX'_?" asked Sarah (I hate this plug lol)

" Not really as in the show," answered the Professor. "We're not the product of genetics experiments or manipulations, but of a leap ahead in mankind's evolution."

"And you've powers?" asked Sarah

"Yes, I'm a telepath"

"You can read our minds?"

"I never do it without being invited to, but I can do it, yes," said the Professor, smiling. "Jean is also able to do it, but she's a particular case because she has two powers, both psychic: telepathy and telekinesis"

"But if my sister is a mutant, then... "Sarah started

"I guess your question because Jean has also posed it to me: why aren't you one too?"

"Yes"

"It happens that the X-gene jumps generations. I've a former student who is now a Professor. She's also a sister, but her sibling isn't carrying the gene; on the other hand her nephew is and he joined us," He said

"So Sarah could have a child carrying this gene?" asked John

"Yes. We don't know yet why this is the case, for both inheritance selection and for different levels: Jean, for example, is an Omega class mutant, the highest degree, which means that she's intended to become very powerful. Very few mutants are of the Omega class."

"Then my sister is a mutant?" Sarah repeated "But why didn't these '_powers'_ appear sooner?"

" Most of the time, they only appear at puberty or at the time of something traumatic, and apparently Jean had had the both of them when her best friend died: she'd fallen into a coma because her mind had entered in contact with Annie's which had pulled her with her.""

"My god, we didn't know why..."

"There are, again, other causes, like stress, and Jean was under a lot of pressure "

John remained quiet a few minutes before saying:

" Then Elaine abandoned her? But what happened after that? Why hasn't she tried to contact us? Why did you become her tutor?"

"Jean remained by herself for two days, without assistance for managing her powers, without shelter or food. She didn't know what was happening to her, she had just been abandoned. We located her one evening"

"You? You mean your Institute?"

"Yes, all my students are mutants as I've told you"

"Even the boy who skates with Jean?" asked Sarah.

"Yes and he's also an Omega class mutant, but he can't control his powers because of an accident; the glasses he wears are the only obstacles stopping the optical blasts that his eyes produce, " explained Charles before continuing, "To answer your question before the last one, if Jean didn't look for you, it's because she believes that you've also rejected her."

"How?"

"When she set out on foot again, and returned to school, she received a letter typed on computer, coming from Illinois. This letter was supposedly coming from all of you. It said it was from her mother and both of you, but obviously, it was only coming from your ex-wife. Jean was unaware of that and it distressed her. Moreover, her mother had told her she could no longer figure-skate in competition...»

"That's the reason why you made the second move. You wanted to prevent others abuses of her power," understood John

"Exactly, and it was indeed necessary because, a few days after, a doctor wanted to intern her, under the orders of her mother."

"My god, my mother is a monster" said Sarah "When I had asked her where Jean's belongings were, she answered with another question. I thought she was upset and didn't want to speak about her because of that. In fact, she was full of hatred and disgust... "

"Jean really frightened us" added Charles "because of the regime inflicted by her mother and her coach, she had developed anorexia, her body was refusing the food which was necessary for her. Before receiving this letter, we had managed to make set out again her curve of weight in the good direction, but after the anorexia returned even more, She had withdrawn on herself, it's Scott who helped her to get out of it"

John pushed a sigh. He had risen for better standing this entire story and ended up by saying:

"I would like to see her, she must learn the truth, she must know that we were unaware of everything and that we haven't abandoned her, mutant or not"

"Of course, but before I'll have to speak to her about it and leaving her the choice, you've to know that your daughter has become extremely independent"

"We'll respect her choice, as long as she learns the truth"

**/Jean/ **

**/Professor?/**

**/Join me near the tables of the judges, I must speak to you/**

**/Is something wrong?/**

**/You'll see/**

**/Ok Professor, I come/**

"Well, she'll join me near the skating rink" he said.

"How?"

"Telepathy" he answered by tapping his temple "Wait here"

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When the Professor arrived, Jean was already waiting for him, she had changed of clothes by hadn't take off her make-up. She didn't know that her family was there and even less than they were observing her reaction through the panes without dye of the office where they were:

"Professor, why did you want to see me?" asked Jean.

"Sit down"

She did it by asking in a worried voice:

"What's up?"

The Professor looked at her before announcing:

"Your father and your sister are here, they would like to see you"

Jean stood back in a jump:

"What?? After what they did to me??" she exclaimed.

"Jean, if I didn't have good reasons for telling it to you, I wouldn't have" began Charles "The fact is that I've spoken with them and I've understood that they were unaware about the abandonment of your mother"

"Yeah right!!" scoffed Jean

She couldn't believe her ears and couldn't keep still.

"Jean, they thought that you had run away, it's what your mother told them. They were manipulated as you were; the letter you've received, she's the only one having written it"

"Then why wouldn't they have searched for me in this case??"

"Because they didn't know where to look, your mother spread them the rinks, but they did try"

She let herself fall back down on the step, she didn't know what to say or to believe. Scott, who had felt through their bond that Jean was upset, had left his conversation with Anton for joining them. He was informed by the Professor as he had sat down beside Jean and was holding her by the waist.

"... here is what they've believed during all this time" finished the Professor "Listen Jean, they're over there, in this office. Henceforth, you know all the history, but you're free to choose to see them or not"

He moved away for returning towards the Grey.

Jean, she, had tears in her eyes, she felt lost and Scott knew it. He turned her towards him.

"Hey, Jean, look at me"

"Scott, I don't know what to do, I believed that I had been abandoned by my whole family, and I suddenly learn that my mother had put my sister and my father in the blow without them knowing it, that she had manipulated all of us" said Jean "I've ended to hate them you know?"

"I know. But think that they don't have anything to do in this history, they missed you as much as you missed them at the bottom of your heart. Life's offering you a second chance you must seize it" he said by caressing her face

"I don't know if I'll have the strength…"

"Hey, I'm here if you want me to come with you" he told her.

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**In the office**

"Then?" asked both the Grey.

"We must wait, she's trouble to accept it, Scott is with her" answered Charles.

"He seems to have as guessed that she wasn't well, he came to join her suddenly" pointed out Sarah.

The Professor smiled

"Scott and Jean have a very strong relationship. Quite quickly, they had become close, then, they've fallen in love with each other and, when they've admitted their feeling, a psychic bond has appeared between them. It's something of incredible and unexplainable even for me. They feel what the other feels, so yes, Scott really knew that Jean needed him"

"So, it wasn't a rumour, they are really together…" said John.

"For more than one year, yes" answered Charles "Scott is a good boy and he loves so much your daughter that I suspect him to have stop figure skating for her"

"Now that you say it, I remember him, he had also become a national champion" said Sarah.

"Yes it's exact"

Charles seemed elsewhere a few second before declaring:

"They're coming. Scott knew how to convince her. As I've told you, they're very close, Jean must have asked him to accompany her, they're rarely without the other"

The door opened and was closed again. The Grey found themselves face to face again, after two and a half year of separation, and this in a heavy silence.

"Jean, my little daughter, look at yourself, you've changed so much, you're so beautiful" said John, tears in his eyes.

Jean diverted hers towards Scott before laying them back on her father, in fact Cyclops had encouraged her a little.

"You... you were really unaware of everything? You didn't write this letter?" Jean ended by asking in a rather cold and suspicious voice.

"No, of course no" said John "Oh it'd take so much time to explain it to you and I'd like so much that you don't doubt our sincerity..."

He had an idea which surprised himself such the fact that his daughter had powers seemed incredible. He turned toward Charles:

"As a telepath can she see what I want to show her?"

"You speak about memories? Yes she can" answered Charles

"Then Jean, I want you to see by yourself, I don't have anything to hide to you"

Jean hesitated one moment, before approaching.

"What do I have to do?" asked John

"Just relax and think back to these memories, it won't hurt you" she answered, still in the same tone.

She placed her hands in the periphery of her father's head and closed her eyes. A succession of images, emotions, sufferings and ignorance on what she had become ravelled into her mind. Sarah was amazed to see Jean's face metamorphosing itself: passing from tears, to the surprise. So, she was really seeing it, she was really reading their father's thoughts.

Jean smiled, gasped with emotion and lowered her hands before opening her eyes and throwing herself in her father's arms:

"Oh daddy!" she said in tears.

"My little daughter" he answered by tightening her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry for having doubted you and Sarah..."

Sarah had come to join the embrace.

"Jean, the only faulty is our mother and nobody else"

They poured out their hearts like it during several minutes before settle down. The Professor decided to leave them alone, and Scott was about to do the same, but Jean restrained him:

"No" she said holding out her hand to him

He approached and took it in his, interlacing his fingers with hers with naturalness.

"Dad, Sarah, I introduce you Scott Summers, my partner and my soul mate. Without him I wouldn't be there anymore today, I believe that I'd have let myself die" she said "I love him and I'm glad to be able to present him to you"

They shook each other hand, as Jean was wiping her eyes, removing half of the make-up who she carried for the championship.

"Thank you for having taken care of my daughter" said John.

"She's an extraordinary young woman, as there is nowhere else"

John smiled, he liked this young man who seemed really in love with Jean. Sarah looked at her sister a little better:

"Look at yourself Jeannie, you're superb, you've become taller than me, you seem to have more confidence and you're world champion of ice-dancing!" she said.

"Wait, we haven't even realized it yet" answered Jean who had still Scott's hand into hers

Jean sat down on the sofa with him, her father and her sister settled themselves back on their seats too. They're just in front of them

"If someone had told us yesterday that we would find ourselves again, we wouldn't have believed it. It's thanks to Annabelle, who doesn't dry up of praise on you two, that we came for her tenth anniversary" said her father before précising "She's my niece, you shouldn't remember her well, you've rarely seen her"

"Annabelle you say? We've signed an autograph to a little girl wearing her name" remembered Jean.

"Yes it was her, it's when she showed us the photograph that we've discovered that it was you" said Sarah

"World champion of ice-dancing after all these trials, I'm proud of you" said her father.

"You were both splendid on the ice, and what an ovation!" added Sarah.

Jean blushed slightly.

"Yes, we're beginning to come out of the shadows since the national championship, and now that we are world champions, that won't stop" supposed Jean

"Passing like that from figure skating to ice-dancing must have required work, I believe to have heard something as one year" said John, remembering what had told her niece.

"One and a half. It's Anton Pamchenko, Scott's trainer, who suggested it to us. Then it's before all a question of feeling with one's partner, and between Scott and me, there wasn't any problem since the beginning" answered Jean while smiling to Scott.

"So you live at the Xavier Institute now, it's at Bayville?"

"Yes, the Professor collected me, helped me to control my powers and took a little the place of a father whose I thought I had lost... but now I know that I've still him" she finished by taking her father's hand.

Sarah resumed:

"I can't believe that mom abandoned you when you didn't even know what was happening to you! How could you have imagined that you had powers?"

"That hasn't been easy, but that saved me the evening when they've collected me; without my powers I couldn't have defended myself against three men having bad intentions"

"Oh my god" said John" They didn't hurt you I hope"

"They struck me and tried to go further but I had a reflex of self-defence, my telekinesis get me rid of them and I escaped. The only thing I remember after is to awake at the Institute med-bay where I've learned what I was"

"So you're telepath and telekinetic it's that?" asked Sarah.

"Yes"

"The telepathy, I saw what that implied..."

"That goes further than what you saw Sarah"

"Ah?"

"Yes, reading thoughts is the thing most people think about at the evocation of this word, but with control, it allows much more things like modifying the memory, suggesting behaviours, putting to sleep someone... "

"Wow, and you can do all that?"

"I working on it"

"And she's talented" said Scott "She learned how to manage her powers in a record time especially under such conditions"

"But I've still migraines sometimes, psychics powers are really difficult to retrain" précised Jean. "If I'm tired or stressed I can lose some control…"

"And what about telekinesis?" asked John.

"There too that allows various things, like forming shields of protection, but the most known is the capacity to move objects with one's thoughts, it's by seeing it that mom took fear: when she saw a water bottle, like this one posed on the table over there, starting to slip towards me" said Jean by making it slip. "Now I've more control, I can raise things much heavier"

"Do you use it for your famous reversed lift?" asked Sarah

"No, of course I don't!" answered Jean

"I didn't want to offence you Jean, it's just that, it's unique, so by learning for your powers, I thought that... "

Scott spoke:

"In fact, it's a story of self-confidence, balance and logic: it's a simple system of beam, but that requires control"

Anton tapped at the door. Jean introduced him:

"Here is Anton, our trainer. Anton, here is my father and my sister"

He shook the hands of the two Grey before declaring:

"I'm sorry to interrupt familial reunion, but Scott and Jean must go to rest, these two last days were long and tomorrow there is exhibition"

"Will you be there?" asked Jean to her family.

"No, we don't have tickets" said Sarah

"You'll remain with us, we've so much things to talk about" said Jean "there isn't any problem, really"

"Well, so it's agreed" said John

"Here is the hotel where we are and the number of my room, call me tomorrow towards 10h" she said by giving him a card.

"Rests well Jean" said Sarah hugging her another time.

On his side John was shaking again Scott's hand:

"I'm glad to have met you Scott"

"So do I"

The two young people left hand in the hand

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Review please  


	17. Chapter 17

_Sorry for the mistakes, but deciding to post it like it, without waiting for the beta reading, is the only way for you to have a regular update from now. So, you'll have to deal with it ;)_

_(I updated the video link)

* * *

_

The following day, Jean spent the morning with her sister and her father, she learned that Sarah was engaged and that her father had moved to Montreal. Jean on her side didn't really reveal her private life even though the way she had presented Scott the day before showed at which point the relation she had with him was serious. Sarah couldn't help to see at which point her sister was mature. She, at her age, was so voluble and futile, while Jean seemed much older than she really was by her way of speaking and her behaviour.

John proposed to Jean to come to live with him, but she recalled him her career and her relationship with Scott. Moreover, she had to remain at the Institute for carrying on working on her powers. Her father was afraid that she could miss anything, but she ensured to him that she had all that she needed and proposed to them to come to see by themselves.

The evening, towards 6 p.m., they parted, Jean having to join Scott for working again on their exhibition program which they presented one hour and a half later.

Being their first exhibition, they had remained traditional but despite everything, their program kept this originality and this passion on the theme of '_Notre dame de Paris'_ a comedy musical with success. The lyrics spoke to them who were really ready to die for the other, which gave this depth to the program. Passion, synchronism, romanticism, aestheticism symbolism, everything was there and the crowd was excited, applauding and taking pictures almost without interruption **(VIDEO)**

"Look at her, she's superb, she's happy" said John "I haven't seen her smiling as much since the divorce with your mother"

"They look very well together..." approved Sarah

Annabelle, she, was on a small cloud and didn't know what to say it was the paradise for her.

Before leaving each other, Jean and her family exchanged their addresses and phone number and so they were invited to come to the Institute in three weeks.

Scott and Jean were going to have one year for working on six programs: two shorts for which they would know the theme only six weeks in advance, two free and two of exhibitions in the case they were again on the podium. But before that they were going to make a pause of one well deserved month.

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**Two days later, day of class, 7h**

Jean and Scott had again spent the night together. In fact, since the dispute with Logan, they hadn't slept a lot into their respective beds. They'd kept their meeting at their hiding place (still unknown for the students) for more intimacy and freedom, but spent the rest of the night together at the Institute by simply sharing tenderness and soft words in each other arms. What was the utility of having two rooms if they spent their time occupying only one of them? They had discussed about it one evening and Scott had proposed to Jean to share a room which she had accepted. They planned to speak about it to the Professor.

Scott was the first to awake, Jean was sleeping against him, a slight smile on her lips

"Hey Jean, wake up" said Scott by laying a kiss on the nape of her neck by passing his hand through her hair.

"Hmmm, what time is it?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"Seven o'clock"

"Not even the time for a hug" she said maliciously.

"It's not lost for all that" smiled Scott before motivating her a little "Go, get up, we've examinations today"

After an obvious moment of lack of will, both extirpated themselves of the bed and slipped on some clothes for going to take breakfast.

No more need to take precautions with Logan, he had really understood and was respecting their choice even though he always frowned when, like this morning, he smelt that they had made love. But he was to acknowledge that they formed a beautiful couple, young certainly, but they functioned as if they were married. On their side the two teenagers wondered how Logan would take their decision to move in together…

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When they arrived at school, a lot of students and some professors came for congratulating them and asking them some autographs. The world championship had been broadcasted on television, the national and local newspapers had made their first page about the event, and even those who weren't really captivated by ice-skating liked to say that they _'knew' _the world champions. Some, like Duncan, Taryn (who were now together) and their troop still didn't want to recognize that obtaining such a title was difficult; for them it was a sport for young girls, but one day they would have to re-examine their opinion.

They started to receive letters of fans and everyday Kitty brought back news of websites opening about them. Channel wanted them in their emissions, but Scott and Jean remained discrete.

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**One week later, morning of the last day of school before the holidays: **

Scott and Jean knocked at the Professor's office door.

"Come in" he said.

"Professor? We don't disturb you?"

"No, not at all my children" he said "About what do you want to speak to me this time?" he asked remembering their last discussion in this same place, a little more than one year ago, about the creation of their bond.

"Well, we've reflected a lot..." began Jean.

"... you will say that we're young but... "Scott continued

"... but we would like to move in together" she ended

The Professor remained stoical despite the way in which they had expressed themselves by connecting their sentences as only one spirit.

"Well... I cannot say that it's a surprise, I was expecting it, but not so early" admitted Charles

"Professor we always sleep aside since nearly three weeks, what is the utility to have a room which is not used when we could free it?" Scott argued

"The common life is something else. For instance, you spend a lot of time together, you proved that you would remain together a few weeks ago" he said by referring to Jean's false alarm of pregnancy "But having to cohabit when you've had a row, having to share the bathroom and everything which makes a life in couple what it is, is different"

They pulled out their joker:

"When you left in conference you and Logan during three days last week," said Jean "We tested it. I've spent these three days in Scott's room as if I didn't have mine anymore and that didn't change anything…"

"Professor, we know that what's worrying you is the fact that we only have seventeen years old, but we love each other"

"Listen, I'll think about it, I'll give you my answer as soon as possible"

Scott and Jean thanked him and left the office for going to the kitchen.

"It's for me!" was telling Tabitha

"No way, I was there before!" retorted Kurt

"Hey, you have already your individual room, we don't!" pointed out Jubilee before realizing that the two teenagers had arrived "Jean, would you give me your room?"

Scott and Jean remained bewildered before understanding:

"Kitty..." they said in the same threatening voice.

"Er... I was passing in the corner and I heard everything, but it's not my fault"

"It's never your fault" pointed out Scott.

"Wait" said Evan who was realizing something. He asked in a malicious voice "If you'll share a room that means that you two have yet….well you know what?"

"In your opinion? Use your mind porcupine!" answered Rogue by rolling her eyes.

"Wow, little secretive!" said Bobby "Hey Scott, you'll tell us"

"In your dreams" he answered as the students were starting again the argument.

The tone rose again when:

"Hey, oh! It's not soon finished this brothel??" roared Wolverine "What's up?"

Behind Logan, Scott and Jean made signs to the students to shut their mouth, and Jean even made pass the message by telepathy, they didn't know how he would take it. Unfortunately, it was Tabitha who took over:

"Scott and Jean want to move in together, we're debating who will inherit Jean's room"

"What??" asked Logan

"Oh oh" said Kurt before having one ounce of instinct of survival "Everyone outside, here we go, hop it"

Kitty helped him and the two young found themselves alone with Wolverine:

"Logan..." began Scott

"I won't blow ya up, I've ended to understand" he answered

"We had just spoken about it with the Professor, he hasn't given his answer but Kitty's heard it" said Jean.

"There isn't worst chatterbox than the half-pint…" declared Logan "Then ya want to share a room? Chuck briefed ya a little I guess?"

"Yes but we've faith in us" said Scott

"Don't ya think it's a little premature? You're together since more than a year, I know, but I wouldn't want ya to make mistakes" argued Wolverine.

"Logan, we can't make mistakes if we don't take decisions" pointed out Jean

"That's true" admitted Logan

Scott cut the discussion by looking at his watch:

"It's time to leave to school, Jean, they other must be waiting for us"

"Be careful on the road" said Wolverine

"Yeah, don't worry"

Once gone, Logan went to see Charles for telling him his way of thinking…

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At the beginning of the evening, when Scott and Jean came back from the cinema, they had a great surprise…

The Professor was in front of Scott's room, obviously giving indications. The two young approached, Ororo and Hank were finishing repapering on white plates.

"Professor?" they asked.

"Ah here you are, as you can see, I've decided to accept your request" said Charles "I have to say that Logan has weighed in your favour"

Both opened wide their eyes

"Our Logan? The one who failed to kill us twice?" asked Scott.

"The very same, surprising isn't this? I knew that he had changed after our famous discussion, but I didn't believe that he would approve your request" said the Professor

"Wow"

"I think it's a way for him to pay his debts" proposed Charles

"It's true that he really blames himself about his behaviour I can still feel it sometimes" said Jean

The Professor nodded before carrying on:

"You wonder what are doing Storm and Beast, aren't you?" he asked "I took the liberty to make some modifications: first I soundproofed the room, so, when you'll rise at 5.30a.m, you won't have to worry about the risk to wake up the others and moreover Kitty won't be able to spy anymore" /**and of course, it's more intimate**/ he finished by telepathy.

They slightly blushed at this insinuation.

"Then, I changed the bed, henceforth you wouldn't have shared a simple bed, so I've made installed a double one"

"Thank you Professor" said Scott

"Yes thank you for giving us our chance and for trusting us" added Jean by laying a kiss on the Professor's cheek.

"You'll also have to thank Logan, Ororo and Hank for their support and their assistance for remaking the room. I hope that the new tapestry pleases you"

"Yes white it's perfect, even for Scott it's not too aggressive"

" Then you only have to settle in" said Hank who had just cut the last surplus of tapestry

Ororo sighed:

"You've grow so much you two"

" I can only quote R-M Rike when he said '_Love, it's the unique opportunity to mature, to take form, to become oneself a world for the future of the loved one''_"

"You always find the perfect quotation" pointed out Storm

"Jean'll have to find one when her sister and her father will discover that she lives with Scott" pointed out Beast

"Oh my god it's true! they come in a little less than two weeks!!" she realized before un-dramatizing "If we survived Wolverine, then we will survive their reaction, it can't be worse"

At dinner time, Charles announced that they'd give Jean's room to Evan, the oldest of the new mutants. The meal finished, Scott helped Jean to move her belonging and in less than one hour and half it was finished. It was strange to see their stuff side by side, their toothbrushes in the same glass, but they were happy, it was what they wanted.

Moreover, henceforth no need anymore to make a detour at the '_guardian's house'_ and to pull back their desire... sound-proofing, what a good idea...

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**End of March**

It was snowing which was rare at this season. Jean welcomed her family at the entry of the Institute and showed them their rooms. She introduced them a little better to the students as they were appearing because there had still been new recruits like Ray and Jamie and Beast was in his true shape.

John was discussing with the Professor as Jean was helping her sister to unpack her belongings considering that they would stay three days here. Sarah had come alone, her fiancé hadn't been able to free himself and she didn't know how he would take this story of mutation. In all way, she was amazed by her little sister's framework of life.

"It is a true castle here, it only misses the private jet!" she joked

"We've got one"

"You're kidding?"

"No, I'm serious, it's an unique plane, I've even learned how to pilot it"

"You??"

"Yes, Scott had already a smattering of it at my arrival, he's gifted, his father was a pilot, and he taught me what he knew" answered Jean "it's wiser to have two students able to control the X-Jet during a mission"

Sarah agreed, Jean had already told them about these missions during their reunion.

"We've also two helicopters ameliorated"

"Blimey, and dad who was fearing you could miss something" joked Sarah before speaking more seriously "By the way Jean, I wanted to say to you…you and Scott seem very close, I know that we hardly find ourselves again, but if you want to speak about, well you know... In short I'm there" she said, obviously no at ease to tackle this subject.

"It won't be necessary" answered Jean seeing where she was getting at

"Yes I know it's not easy to speak about that, but the day you'll feel ready... well..." she connected on another subject "Now I want to see your room"

_ow ow_, thought Jean.

They descended a stage and Jean made her enter into '_her'_ room.

"Wow a double bed, luxury"

_Stay cool_, thought the young mutant

"I come back, I just need to brush my hair because of Bobby's snow ball which I hadn't seen come" said Jean "But just he wait, it'll be pay back time in one hour. Wait me there"

"There is a superb sight" told Sarah before joining Jean and noticing something.

On the piece of furniture of the bathroom there wasn't only woman products, a shaver was connected, there were two toothbrushes beside the wash-hand basin.

"Jean? You're sure that it's **your** room?" asked Sarah

"Well, technically it is, yes" Jean answered by going back to the room where her sister should have stayed "But it's not **only** mine, I share it with Scott since two weeks"

"What?" exclaimed a perplexed Sarah by sitting down at the end of the bed.

"Sarah, we really love each other, it's a decision we took together and which seemed more honest to us than to carry on spending the night in mine or his room"

"If I understand well, my speech on the approach about the sexual relation which I spent two days to work is useless..." she realized

"Er well, it should have been recited to me near of four months ago…" admitted Jean, embarrassed

Sarah was taken aback. Jean sat down beside her.

"And your professors authorize that?"

"They learned it only last month, when I believed that I had fallen pregnant... " said Jean before realizing the impact of such a revelation. _Ouch, bad answer_, she reprimanded herself.

"Oh it's the total one"

"But even after having learned it they've respected our private life, they knew thanks to our psychic bond and Scott's behaviour at this moment that it was really serious between us" said Jean by sitting at her side "Sarah, Scott, isn't a simple flirt, he was the first boy I'd kissed and has become the man with whom I can't consider my future"

"You're just seventeen years old Jean, as you say it's the first boy you frequent and..." tried Sarah

"And it'll be the only one. Believe me, if you could experience what I feel for him and what I feel through our psychic bond you wouldn't doubt it"

"I'm your older sister, it's normal that I worry" she answered.

"I know, but he's really the man that I need"

"The most important is that you're happy after all" said Sarah

"And I am at each minute I spend with him. I love him more than my own life, I would give my life for him and I wouldn't survive without him, I know it"

"Then you have my support" she declared, touched by the intensity and the sincerity of what she had said

"Thanks Sarah"

"But for dad that will be a hard blow, already that my engagement had given him a blow of oldness" noticed the young woman before bursting of laughing "I imagine his face when he'll know that you already live with Scott!"

"You think he'll take it badly?" asked Jean "In two years and a half I've a little lost sight of his reactions..."

"No, he'll be surprised, anxious, in short he'll react as me" her older sister reassured her "I'll tell him this evening ok?"

She passed an arm around Jean's shoulders:

"I remember the shy Jean, the affirmed adolescent, and I've found back a young woman who's lost her virginity and share her room with a man before me"

"Sarah!"

"But it's true, my first experience was when I was twenty years old" she said

"It's not a competition" retorted Jean

"Yeah but it shouldn't be in this way" answered Sarah "I'm getting married before you but don't make me the blow to fall pregnant before me, ok ?" Sarah said in a false serious tone

"You should be the first for that, well, normally"

"I hope so! I've an older sister reputation to hold"

They spent a good hour, laughing and chatting in a slight tone.

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One hour later, after the lunch, Ororo, Hank, Logan, Rogue, Evan, Roberto, John and Sarah had sat on the steps at the entry of the Institute, sipping coffee or hot drink by observing all the other mutants making a revenge of snowball battle. It only missed Kurt, already gone for his home for some days

"They seem normal I find" pointed out Jean's father.

"Oh that won't last, they're only warming up" said Ororo in a calm voice.

"One of them will cross the rules of the traditional snowballs battle and that will degenerate" supported Hank.

"Yeah, as usual..." grumbled Logan

Just at this time Bobby created a snowball in his hand and sent it to the other camp made up of Scott, Jean, Amara, Rahne and Kitty. He had to bend down for avoiding Magma's fireball immediately counter-attacked by Jubilee, and Ray. Jamie fell over and duplicated himself into ten, each specimen catching snow, laughing, before avoiding just in time another fireball. Kitty phased herself for not been stroke by the formation of an ice floe. Only Scott and Jean, for the moment, were controlling their offensive powers

Beast had joined the group:

"My children, my children, it's not as that which works snow ball battle" (well if you know his sentence in X-evo…)

He was making a ball with his hands when a beam of Bobby passed above his head. He changed of method and made an enormous snowball with his back legs

"It's like that" he said by launching it in the heap.

On the steps, all were stoical except both Grey.

"They risk to hurt each other" worried John

"No they knew worse and it's always as that" answered Logan

Jean ended up by deviating an ice ball:

"Hey, can't we make a traditional snowballs battle?" she asked

"Yeah, we said no powers!" said Rahne

"Then use yours!" Bobby retorted by sending ice to them which Jean deviated again by telekinesis.

"Very well..." she said by taking off the ground for some meters before suddenly provoking a four meters wave of powder snow which went to cover Bobby, Jamie, Tabitha, Jubilee and Ray.

"Hey!" we heard before the silence.

Rahne, Amara and Kitty were bursting of laughing. On the steps the Grey were perplexed, it was the first demonstration of Jean's powers which they saw on this scale

"Recall me to never bother my sister"

"Oh there it's only snow" said Logan "For some time she also practices the launch of cars..."

John believed that he was joking, seeing his daughter able to fly was already something.

The voices of the other team were heard:

"But push yourself Boom-Boom"

"Multiple, gathers your pieces, in order we could find the exit"

"Berzeker removes your dirty hands!"

They ended to extirpate themselves from the heap of snow with blow of powers

"Oh man, you've asked for it Jean!" said Iceberg by taking his shape of ice floe

"No quarter!" added Boom-Boom by revealing about thirty explosive balls between her hands which she blew towards them.

"All the blows are allowed!" shouted Ray

Rahne took her wolf shape for better passing through it, Jean returned to the shipper the majority of the explosive balls or only let them explode against her psychic shield. Scott destroyed the ices blocks created by Iceberg. Amara, had also taken her mutant form and was continuing to counter-attack.

After five minutes, Scott spoke to Kitty:

"Shadowcat, plan B"

"Yes Chief"

She disappeared under the snow and, without the others could react, they found themselves inserted into the snow and the ground, to the neck.

"Play, Set and Matt" announced Rogue, Roberto and Evan.

The losing team complained quickly:

"Get us out of it, it's freezing" said Jubilee

"You don't know how to appreciate the good things" retorted Iceberg

Kitty let them return on the surface and everyone let themselves fall on the snow which was smoking in place.

"Blimey, and it's often like that?" asked John

"Baseball Match, excursion, they don't miss anythin'" answered Logan

"Teaching to mutants requires particular aptitudes" added Beast

"Scott and Jean are all the same more reasonable, they are the eldest, they have to show the example" said Ororo "but sometime they let themselves go and that's not so bad".

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Review please 


	18. Chapter 18

_Sorry for the mistakes, but deciding to post it like it, without waiting for the beta reading, is the only way for you to have a regular update from now. So, you'll have to deal with it ;)_

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The very evening Sarah learned to her father that Jean was sharing a room with Scott. As she thought, at the beginning he was perplexed but when she told him what her little sister had said to her, he was reassured. He spoke about it at breakfast with Charles who added that, for having held head twice to an angry Wolverine, they had to know what they were doing. Moreover, this bond they shared as an irrevocable proof of their sincerity.

During the afternoon, they settled in front of the television so that Sarah and John could see Jean and Scott's old programs. The interested were laid on a sofa, close to the fire and some students had joined the group.

"Ah yes, we've missed many things" said John when the video finished and that they had watched the famous album of Kitty.

"They fell asleep" blew Ororo by making a movement of head towards the two young people.

Jean had her head posed against Scott's chest, her left hand on his right shoulder, and he had surrounded her with his arms, his chin resting on her hair.

"That can be arranged!" said Iceberg before shouting above the sofa without anyone could prevent him "X-MEN REPORT!!!"

Scott and Jean awoke with a start, the other students were laughing

"Bobby, do it again, and I'll arrange myself for making you believe for the rest of your life that you're a two years old little girl" threatened Jean.

"You could do it?" asked Bobby

"You would ask Jubilee to braid your hair…" Jean contented herself to answer.

"Er, I thing someone is calling me" he said before eclipsing

"Oh man" said Scott "Recall me to make him have a rough time at the next danger-room session"

Jean kissed him affectionately on the cheek before asking:

"We were asleep since a long time?"

"Some twenty minutes"

Kitty opened her mouth:

"Don't even think about that" said Jean.

"But I haven't said anything!" she defended herself.

"That was precisely the goal"

"Oh the telepathic ones..." said Kitty before going out at her turn, she who had found the right time to said that they should sleep at night.

Scott was gently stroking Jean's hair, naturally

"I believed that you didn't read the thoughts without authorization" said Sarah

"No need to enter her mind here, she was projecting her thoughts so strongly that I only had to seize them" she answered "That's why most of the people living there learn how to control their thoughts"

"It's like hearing a part of a conversation, we can't prevent it" explained Charles "In short, we know it's thoughts but we haven't done anything for obtaining them."

"What is this album?" asked Scott when he saw Logan retaining himself to smile from time to time.

"An album of ya two that Kitty made" he answered

"We really see the evolution, you were really not well at your arrival" said John

"That's for sure, but in fact we've never seen this famous album. Can I Logan?" asked Jean.

"Help yerself" he answered.

But Jean didn't rise up for fetching the album, she made it come by telekinesis.

"I think that I'll never get used to that" said Sarah.

"Sorry, I'm too well installed for rising up" smiled Jean by cuddling herself a little more against Scott

She opened the album:

"Oh yes I wasn't well at all" she said by seeing a picture visibly taken a little time after her arrival

"Which is interesting it's the evolution, I particularly like the one of your feet, you must have been suffering"

"Oh yes I remember when she took it" said Scott "It's then that she told us she was beginning an album entitled _'The_ _sufferings of Scott and Jean…'"_

"'…_and more if affinities'' _finished Jean with him by laughing "she had seen right on this point"

"She has even put a comment '_an overwhelming testimony of their feet after the change of their skates' _"

"Holly Kitty" laughed Jean.

The other photographs had been taken during trainings, warming up, competitions or exhibition, as well as in the common life, sometimes very pretty pictures

"Ah we can say what we want, half-pint has really a gift for takin' picture, I find" said Logan

"Yes especially when she wasn't supposed to take them" pointed out Scott by seeing a photograph of him and Jean kissing tenderly.

"She should become paparazzi, she would be frightening" told Jean

"Overall that she can pass through walls" said Ororo

"And she has even collected the newspaper cuttings" added John.

"In some way, she's our media agent, she always knows about websites and others" said Jean.

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In the evening, Jean's father wanted to speak to her, they went to make a turn:

"It's a splendid place, people are nice, I'm glad that you've been collected here and I understand that you want to stay" he said

"I was also surprised when I arrived here" answered Jean

"Sarah told me for you and Scott, he's a good guy, and he really seems to take care of you and to make you happy"

"It's the case"

"But you're seventeen years old" specified John.

"Perhaps but we felt ready" answered Jean "You know, Sarah asked me how I could bear not being able to see Scott's eyes because it was the mirror of the soul ; I answered her that I didn't need it considering that I had a direct access to his soul through our bond and I love him even more"

"My little daughter changed a lot" noticed John by passing an arm around her shoulders before declaring "I called your mother"

"... "

"She was surprised to know that I'd learned the truth and that I wasn't reacting like her. I explained her what you were, thinking that by knowing the reasons of your capacities, she would change and regret... "

"But that wasn't the case" supposed Jean

"No, that wasn't the case. I'll spare you all she could have said. If you weren't a mutant I would have put charge on her for abandonment but that would bring more trouble to you than another thing"

"Yes, that's for sure" agreed Jean

"Here, I wanted you to know that I had broken the bridges with her. Sarah has also made an attempt. She still had an ounce of hope that she would apologise after having had the explanations, but obviously she had been mistaken on her account, so she returned the similar to her"

"How?" asked Jean

"She said to Elaine that she didn't regard her as her mother anymore and that she wasn't taking part of the family anymore, that she would never forgive her what she had done to you"

"That must have shocked her, she who thought she was controlling everything" scoffed Jean

"Yes I think that must have shaken her" approved John "Well, she knows where to contact us if one day she finds back her reason"

"She's too proud for that" answered Jean as they arrived at the steps of the Institute

The days ran out quickly and the Grey had to go.

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**One month later, end of April, sport session**

This day they had a whole afternoon of sport and they learned that it would also be the case for the following week. The professor told them the reasons of it:

"Today and next Thursday, we'll spend the afternoon at the skating rink of Bayville with a class of the second cycle" he said.

The reactions were mitigated.

"You'll be able to initiate yourself to the practice of two completely different disciplines hockey and figure skating. I won't ask you for feats, but you'll see the differences between the ice-skating and particularly the two kinds of skates"

They went by foot to the skating rink in a hubbub. Evan, Kitty, Kurt and Rogue, students of second cycle, discussed with Scott and Jean until they arrived.

"Here we are at the skating rink of Bayville" said the professor, "remove your shoes and put them in one of these bags, then ask your size, we'll give you the skates"

In a hubbub, everyone did what was asked; the skates were rigid and had clips like ski-boots.

Considering that Scott liked to practice from time to time the sport which had made him discover the ice and that the other members of the Institute were the first to organize matches, that didn't bother him more than Jean even though the skates were not made at their feet. The blades were also larger and bent behind as in front, it was very easy to skate with it.

The majority of the students were quickly at ease, but the falls accumulated. Matches were organized with the more gifted. Scott and Jean didn't go in the same team and it was better, seeing the speed at which they went and the strategies that they could use, in the same team they would have crushed the other one in five minutes. There, each team having some students practising this sport, a balance was done but it was Scott's one which won, he hadn't forgotten his techniques.

This day the students had the feeling to know how to skate and so that it was easy. But the following week...

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**Next week, May**

This time, Scott and Jean (and some other students) had taken their own skates and put them quickly, the blades perfectly sharpened and protected. The other students were still battling with the skates of hiring which, this time, had laces at their great despair. Jean and Scott helped some of them to tie their skates correctly, that is to say, in theory, relatively release at the bottoms, tight at the neck of the foot and again softer at the top.

"Ah yes, it's true that's your field Summers, you didn't bring your tutu?" asked Duncan

"I must have forgotten it" answered Scott sarcastically "But you'd better envisage crutches if you don't tighten your laces more than that…"

The manager of the skating rink arrived which prevented Duncan to answer.

"James, please explain to these young people how to ties ice-skates or they're not ready to skate. And show them how to make some limbering up exercises"

"Yes sir"

The Professor approved:

"Yes pay attention, comparing the skates of hockey and those of figure skating, it's like comparing boots with stiletto heels" he said "It has finer blades, not bent, the shoe part is more flexible and especially there are these teeth that we call '_the toe-pick'_"

"Listen well to your professor, much of the young people show of in skate of hockey but are far from imagining at which point they're advantaged" emphasized the manager.

He noticed Scott and Jean in the background:

"Hey, hello you two, you haven't gone for more than three hours that you come back, I hope that Anton will take that in count. I think that your professor wouldn't mind if you skate on your side and give advices"

"Quite the contrary, I hope that you accept?" asked this last

"No problems Mr Malcom" answered Scott who had just risen up again.

The manager put nevertheless a flat:

"Apart from the ones who know how to skate whit traditional ice-skates, the others with have to held themselves to the rail"

The students begun to put themselves on their feet, Scott and Jean were again side by side.

"Yes no problem, I think they won't have the choice anyways" smiled the professor

"Toe-pick" laughed Kurt and Kitty, who had so much fallen because of them.

"Oh Scott, Jean, I didn't even had the time to congratulate you for your world title, at your age it's exceptional, really cheer and carry on like that"

"Thank you Franck"

"Pff, if these two manage to skate it's that it must be a piece of cake" said Taryn in the background "I don't see why it would be harder than with skates of hockey, Mr Malcom is bluffing"

"Ohhhh no" declared a student "the first time I changed skates that really disturbed me"

"You, you're always disturbed" said Duncan.

"Matthews" the professor warned him

The manager put some variety music in the skating rink, not too loud, just what was needed.

"You practice football but on which scale? You're captain of the school team, what a business" pointed out Rogue "Scott and Jean train together more than eight hours per day in addition to the school and other. They dance in couple for two years and are already world champions. I'm sure that you aren't able to make a tenth of what they do, so avoid speaking about what you don't know"

"You're looking for trouble the gothic!?"

"That's enough you two!" said the professor

Rogue and Duncan threw a black look at each other; the mutant didn't seem at all frightened by Matthews and that destabilized him even though he didn't show it.

Scott and Jean were at the edge of the skating rink, professor Malcom had authorized them to skate before the others. They made some stretching in addition, removed their protect blades and went on the rink with ease. They were particularly relaxed and hearing them joking wasn't common for the other students who used to see them always really concentrated at school.

"Go, everyone on the ice, hold yourself to the rail" recalled the professor.

But Duncan Matthews, didn't listen to it:

"Why? That seems as easy as last week!"

He posed a skate on the ice by springing, sure of himself and found himself face against the ice a few seconds later.

"Toe-pick" said in chorus Kurt and Kitty.

"Are you alright Duncky?" asked Taryn

"Yeah, but I told you not to call me like this in public…" he mumbled, catching his breath

Several students couldn't help laughing

"The rail, Mr. Matthews, excepted if you wish to wear a stuffed panties and a helmet?"

"It'd well suit you, **Duncky**" scoffed Rogue at the surname

The instructor had to come to help Duncan to rise up as one of his gorillas had crashed himself even before entering in the rink.

"Toe-pick" reiterated the two young mutants.

Some didn't move, others were already gliding along the edge, by keeping a hand on the rail by precaution, stumbling regularly. Some, having a little practiced, were risking themselves on the freshly surfaced ice.

They couldn't deny it, skating with true ice-skates was definitely harder. Good lacing had to be found: too much released they were comfortable but missed stability, too tighten, they hurt and the least error was followed by a fall, only the just middle was good and it was the same for the position of the body..

"Blimey, that slips so much! It's harder than last week" said a student "and these claws it's awful I'm sure I'll fall, for what are they used?"

"For braking, idiot" said another student

"Not only" answered Amanda who was skating beside them "it's also with these toe-picks that the figure-skaters carry out certain jumps"

"Amanda you've just, like, given me an idea" said Kitty

The professor, who was in front of them, showed them how to go ahead and how to stop by using bases techniques. He also explained to them how falling well for not hurting oneself too badly which proved to be on the more judicious. Scott and Jean helped those who wanted to progress on the ice, by holding their hands.

After one hour, much of the students' legs and feet were aching and the professor announced that those who wished could make a pause or remain on the ice.

Scott and Jean, of course, stayed on the ice, even only by pleasure to be their just for fun and not for training. At some time, they skated at full speed, and were visibly trying to make fall the other by changing of direction brutally, but without success, ending from time to time into a combined spin without vocation artictic. At other, they seemed to chat, one of them skating forward, the other backward as if nothing, negotiating the turns without looking at them, by crossing their skates. But Scott was also taking a malicious pleasure to brake abruptly transversally for sprinkling with crushed ice some students of the Institute

"I hate when you do that!" said Evan

"Oh he knows it" declared Rogue "but at least I'm not the victim for once"

Kitty and Kurt made signs to Scott and Jean so that they come towards the rail opposite the steps where were lowered the others:

"I bet that you aren't able any more to make jumps and I speak about sequences" declared Kitty

"Oh yeah?" Jean asked by raising her eyebrows "Is it a challenge?"

"Possible" said Kurt.

"What do we gain there?" asked Scott

"If you win, Kurt and I commit ourselves to learn how to use the doors"

"Wow, that worth the blow" said Jean "but what if we lose?"

"Hmmmm... you'll assume our turns of doing the dishes for three months"

_Scott?_

_That will go for me_ he answered

_Idem_

"Ok we accept" declared Scott

Anton was coming towards them, lost in his thoughts, mumbling in russian. He was leading towards his office when he noticed the presence of the young mutants

"You're still there? I should make you work more" he smiled to his skaters

"It's a school excursion" answered Jean.

"Oh Anton, as you are here" said Kurt " We challenged Scott and Jean"

The Russian frowned

"What kind challenge?"

"To succeed a sequence of jumps, from the hardest that they could carry out"

"I need my skaters in full form" argued the trainer.

"That will go Anton" said Scott

"Well, so, what do you want from me?"

"Giving the sequences and checking that they're well carried out"

"You're warmed up?" he asked Scott and Jean

"That will make one hour and a half that we're skating" answered Jean.

"Well. Who starts?"

"Scott" decided Kurt.

"Difficult sequence, hum? No hesitation: quadruple toe loop, triple loop and quadruple toe loop"

Scott agreed. He took speed by doing a turn of the rink, turned over and carried out the sequence with the power which characterized him at the time.

"Wow" blew students as other were applauding

"Then?" asked Kitty

"Perfect height, perfect execution, perfect reception"

"Jean then!"

"Go Jean!!" shouted some students in the steps who had understood that it was a challenge.

"For Jean, triple axel, double loop and triple toe lutz"

Jean also carried out the jumps to perfection.

"Perfect too, can I return over to work? I've choreographies elements to prepare" said Anton

"Yes, thank you"

"Oh and congratulation children, we could have believe you have done it yesterday" smiled Anton, knowing they where still making jumps from time to time, before leaving.

"You bet and you lost!" said Scott at the two young people

"Henceforth, finished to enter anywhere without knocking" added Jean without précising that she was speaking about their room, she didn't want the whole school to know it

"Obligation to respect the fact that a door closed and to wait until we say you to enter" added Scott

"Cheer Kitty" mumbled Kurt

"Hey how did you want me to guess that after two years of ice-dancing they would still achieve to do it?"

"Two indices: juniors world champions and seniors national champions of figure skating "

Kitty made the pout. A student had come to join them on the ice:

"Er, now that there are less people; I'd like to ask you some advices" she said "The teacher learns us how to go behind, but me I'd love to do it like you: by crossing the skates, but I only achieve to do it for skating ahead.

"You're right-handed?" asked Jean.

"Yes"

"Then you must be more at ease by taking support on the left leg"

"Yes it's true, for going ahead I do like it! But behind I don't achieve to do it"

Jean was about to answer, but suddenly she was attacked by thoughts.

"Jean? Hey, are you alright?" asked Scott.

"A headache, I'll make a pause, carry on"

Scott looked at her leaving the rink before deferred his attention back on the teenager:

"So, considering that you're right-handed, you'll have to work on a circle in the direction of the needles of a watch, like that" he showed her "For that, you'll have to fold the knees, yeah like it. Now you keep your arms opened for the balance and you put all your weight on your left hip"

The teenager tested with hesitation

"Hey it's working! Wow, I've almost fall, but it's fine, it's like that?"

"Yes it's a good beginning even though you've to cross more frankly the skates"

"It's resting, it's as been on an armchair" she realized "And for the other side?"

"The same, but by taking support on the right hip. Having said that this'll require more work from you"

"Thank you Scott!"

"You're welcome"

(I'm not sure about the whole part with the challenge and the little lesson, but I had to use the time and find a way to show Taryn and Duncan what they where able to do)

He went to join Jean who, sat on the steps, was massaging her obviously painful temples:

"Hey, are you ok?" he asked, worried

She didn't react.

"Jean?" he repeated by laying his hands on hers.

This time she startled.

"It's only me, what's up?" he inquired.

_My powers, I've…I've suddenly been overwhelmed with thoughts_ she answered through their bond as she couldn't tell it out loud.

"You're better?"

"Yeah, yes, it's better now you're here. But it's not the first time today" she admitted

"You should report it to Professor Xavier"

"It must be the tiredness"

"Jean, don't take it easy with this kind of things. Promise me that you'll speak to him tonight" he asked, starring in her eyes

"I promise you" she said

He smiled and kissed her on her forehead.

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Review please, I need them even if I've written this fic so long ago that I'm not into it anymore 


	19. Chapter 19

_Sorry for the mistakes, but deciding to post it like it, without waiting for the beta reading, is __the only way for you to have a regular update from now. So, you'll have to deal with it ;)

* * *

_

**The very evening, Institute**

A part of the students, including Scott were in the danger room. Rogue was in a bad mood, she had invited a friend without warning anyone and the Professor had had to lecture her:

"I'm sorry Rogue but the visits must be planned for obvious reasons"

"Alright, in all manners I'll never ever invite anybody" she answered,_ /He wouldn't have treated Jean in this way!/_

"Hey this is not true he doesn't treat me any different than you" answered Jean, surprised that Rogue could say such a thing.

"Who gave you the permission to go into my head?!!" roared Rogue

"What? I'm sorry, I hadn't realized it" said Jean with sincerity

"Yeah right" retorted Rogue before climbing the stairs

Jean went to sit in the common room where the Professor joined her:

"You've trouble with your telepathy?" he asked

"You?"

"No, no need to use my powers for noticing it"

"I'm tired, the trainings, the lessons, the homework, the new mutants..." she quoted

"Perhaps your powers are evolving, let me help you, after all it's the reason why I'm there"

"Everything is fine Professor, don't worry, all I need is a good night of sleep" she smiled to him

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During the night, Scott was awaked by Jean who was moaning in her sleep, but also because of a deaf tremor as if the room was shaken and some objects fell on the ground.

"Jean" he shook her

She awoke with a startle

"You were having a nightmare, the walls were trembling"

"Oh…sorry" she said "It's strange, I know that I made a horrible nightmare but I don't remember anything…Oh I would only like to sleep, I'm tired, and we don't have yet a lot of pressure"

"It's nothing, that happens at everyone to have bad periods sometimes" he reassured her. "No more trouble with your powers? You spoke to the Professor?"

"No, and Yes, he came to speak to me, he had noticed that I had trouble with my telepathy"

"Good"

He could feel her anxiousness through their bond and invited her to cuddle herself against him.

"Well, come here, you'll close your eyes, breath deeply and relax yourself" he said

Jean followed his advice

"That's better?"

"Yes. I've the feeling something will happen but it settles down when I'm in your arms"

"I won't let anyone hurt you"

He kissed her on her temple.

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**Following day, skating rink **

The following day, everything seemed normal. They get up at 5.30 a.m., made their jogging, their muscle-building and their limbering up exercises and took a shower together as the other students were waking up. Once changed, they rested a little, revising their lessons before going to school.

At noon, they ate quickly and went to their particular dance session, then led back to school for going to the skating-rink as soon as the session were finished for two hours of training.

In short, it was a classical day where they would still have to find time for their homework. It was yet not easy for high level athletes to follow school in addition to their training, but cumulating these by being mutants was a feat.

They hadn't yet selected any music, but Anton wanted them to work on new choreographic elements. This evening, a match of baseball was taking place on the stadium next to the building and some students of the Institute had gone there with Logan as a driver. Jean was serene, she hadn't had other problems since her nightmare, her powers seemed to have stabilized themselves. When they left the rink, Scott quickly pulled out his skates and accompanied Anton at his office, the Russian wishing to show him something. Jean went to the cloakrooms and, let's call it the irony of the fate, it's there that any control escaped to her again like more than three years ago, in worse...

Like a cannonball hundreds of thoughts, perhaps even thousands of them penetrated her mind:

_/but runs for crying out loud!... they'll won... catch up this ball. And...but...how... yes!... it's not true!... what?... in a... and... at... if... f... oh... I... you... e... __rz... f.dsd... vvf... trhrth.z.fgb.t/_

Quickly the thoughts weren't understandable anymore, she winced and fell on her knees, her hands pressed against her temples as for preventing these thoughts from carrying on invading her. She felt a pressure going up in her head as a wave of an uncontrollable power

"SSSCCCOOOOTTTT!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed before pushing an agonizing yell.

Anton and Scott had well being on the other side of the skating rink, the scream didn't escape to them.

"Jean!!!" the young man exclaimed before sprinting towards the cloakrooms, where she must been, and from where were coming moans of pain.

_Scott, helps me!!_ he perceived through their bond.

When he arrived, Jean was on the ground, curled up on herself, her hands plastered on her temples, panting, her eyes closed by the pain, tears escaping from them.

"Jean what's happening?" he asked, alarmed, by precipitating towards her for raising her up a little in order to take her in his arms.

"…I... I dunno...thousands of thoughts... I don't control anything anymore... I... argh!"

Suddenly, the lockers opened and their contents started to fly as Anton arrived out of breath. Inside, as outside, on the stadium, lights had started to flicker, other roasted and objects went literally to plant themselves into the concrete walls of the skating rink.

"Jean, regain the control, you can do it!!"

"…I... I can't….It's too hard…I……."

"Jean!"

"..."

"Jean wake up!"

She had passed out. Anton laid down as the blade of an ice-skate went to impaled itself in the wall at the very place where his head was a few moments before. The other objects had suddenly fell on the ground.

"I call Charles!!" he said alarmed

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**Match of Baseball **

At the stadium, all had returned back to normal and, despite the strangeness of the events, the match had taken again its course. Logan remained perplexed when Charles' voice resounded in his mind:

**/Logan! Jean lost control of her powers, you must bring her back at the Institute in urgency! She's at the skating rink with Scott, at the cloakrooms, Anton has just called me, hurry, it's serious/**

**/We're gone/**

"Go kids we clear off, an urgency!" said Logan.

"What's up?" asked Amara

"The strange phenomena were caused by Jean, she doesn't control anythin' anymore" answered Wolverine before requiring once under the steps "The Elf, ya teleport us to the skatin' rink, it's urgent"

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A few seconds later, they were running into the building, Scott was carrying Jean in his arms towards them. He had removed her skates and had wrapped her in her wind-breaker.

"How has it happened?" asked Logan

"I don't know, I was with Anton when we heard her scream, she wasn't controlling anything anymore and she passed out" answered Scott, extremely worried

"Chuck told me to brin' her back to the Institute"

He sent his keys to Anton

"Ya can brin' back the kids?"

"Da, no problems"

"Scott, yer keys?" he asked

"In Jean's wind-breaker pocket, yes that one"

"Here we go, quickly!"

Scott settled at the back of his convertible with Jean, Logan had taken the wheel and started immediately.

Suddenly, as they were on the road, Jean regained more or less conscience and started again to moan; without understanding what was happening, Logan lost the control of the vehicle which started to make dangerous yaws.

"I can't do anythin', the controls are blocked!" shouted Wolverine as the car started to accelerate more and more.

"Jean!!" said Scott

"..."

"Regain control before it's too late!" he encouraged her

Logan was fighting for staying on the road, fortunately deserted, until a truck appeared far away, on a straight line, without Wolverine could return on the right side.

"For cryin' out loud, Red!"

_Jean! the truck!! You're controlling the car, Jean!_

Her face expressed a terrible suffering, Scott didn't feel her anymore through their bond which was terrorizing him.

The truck started to hoot, the distance separating them was more and more reducing, Logan beckoned him to push but the driver didn't do anything of it. Just before it'd be too late, Jean moaned and passed out again. The car abruptly slowed down when the footbrake pedal recovered its function; the wheel being directed on the right line, it started to violently skidding in circles making smoke the tires, before Wolverine regained control in time to change of way and avoiding the fatal collision.

"It was close" blew Logan who, even though he liked strong emotions, would have done without those "hope that she won't regain consciousness before our arrival!"

Fortunately it wasn't the case

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**Infirmary**

"Lay her there Scott" required the Professor

Logan drew the teenager behind for avoiding him to be strike by an object which had just entered in levitation.

"You should leave, I'll come as soon as I'll know more about the situation" said Charles

"Professor, I must stay, I can help her with our bond"

"Ya said that ya weren't feeling her anymore" recalled Logan

Charles saw that it was still the case.

"Leave Scott, I can't guarantee your safety, she controls nothing"

"She's glowing" noticed Kitty who had rejoined them before being also drawn behind by Wolverine.

Indeed, an orange/yellow halo seemed to slightly surround the young mutant. Increasingly heavy objects had started to fly for embedding themselves everywhere. Kitty phased herself through the floor, Logan led Scott out of the place and a medical plate crush on the door as she was closing itself.

The Professor posed one of his hands on Jean's face for entering her mind. It was only chaos.

**/ Jean, do you hear me? Jean! I can help you if you let me/**

But it was yet too late, Jean screamed in pain as much in her mind than in reality and a telekinesic wave propagated itself in the place, destroying the walls and pushing back the Professor.

Scott and Logan were themselves slightly groggy, there wasn't a door anymore, Jean's body was rising in the airs, always surrounded by this light halo.

"Jean!" cried Scott

"Scott, wait!" Wolverine restrained him, just in time for avoiding the second deflagration.

-----------------------------------------

The Professor, Logan and Scott went up on the floor, the others awaited them in uniform with Anton as Hank and Ororo who had just arrived

"What's going on in the sub-basement?" asked Bobby

"Is Jean alright?" asked Storm.

Another explosion resounded.

"No, she's not well at all" answered Charles "Her powers are evolving too quickly, she doesn't control them anymore"

"I must join her!" said Scott, but Logan restrained him again

"Wait, ya won't even be able to approach her, we need a plan!"

"What plan??!!"

"And what about Hank gave her a sedative?" proposed Evan

"It's an idea" approved Beast

"Yes but too dangerous, she would have even less capacities for regaining control" said Charles "no, we've to find something else and quickly"

"I've an idea" declared Rogue "You say that there is too much activity in her mind? let me drain some of it"

"No, you wouldn't resist the shock" he refused

"I'm sure, I can handle it, just let me try"

"She has so much in her mind, what she needs is something to focus on" said the Professor

"So, let Rogue try, and maybe after Jean'll be able to focus on my voice" suggested Scott

"In all way we don't have too many options" pointed out Logan

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A few moments later they entered to the basements which were devastated. Jean was still in the airs, always surrounded by a tornado of objects, the ceiling had exploded. The infirmary being one of the buildings located under the park of the Institute, no structure was threatening to crash..

"I fear we don't have a lot of time, we need to act now!" said the Professor

Evan, Logan, and Scott cleared a way so that Kurt could teleport Rogue on the table where Jean had been laid. They were immediately pulled by the telekinesic force. Rogue caught one concrete stalactites which had stayed in place, despite the telekinetic explosions which had already destroyed the sick-bay.

"Now Rogue, you must do it NOW!" ordered the Professor.

Despite Jean's powers' pressure, and with the held of a gust of wind created by Storm, the mutant turned up to approach Jean a little more and to move her hand forward her face. Suddenly Jean started to moan, the halo which was surrounding her intensified.

As if he had foreseen what would happen, the Professor opened wide his eyes and howled:

"Kurt, catches Rogue and move away from Jean, quickly!!!"

They had hardly come back near them that Jean pushed a scream and, what was only a halo, spread itself to form an enormous flame engulfing the mutant's body. The others hide their eyes such it was dazzling.

"No Jean!!!" screamed Scott, held back by Hank and Logan without who he would have rushed toward Jean.

The flames became less blindly and took the shape of a bird with opened wings by letting see Jean in its center, she seemed harmless.

"Then it existed..." said Scott under the shock

"It was her..." declared the Professor at the same time

Jean's eyes opened a few moments, flames were burning where the green of her irises should have been. The students and some adults gasped in surprise, completely perplexed and worried by what they were seeing Then, suddenly, the flames disappeared leaving her free from burns.

A momentary silence hung over the group before being shattered by the crashing of the biggest objects which Jean's powers had swept up. Storm had the reflex to create a mini tornado for avoiding Jean to break her neck by falling down, and it was a good idea.

- "For god'sake what was that?" asked Logan as Scott was rushing toward Jean.

As soon as he had reached her, not being able to even imagine that she may be dead, he tried to bring her back to consciousness by calling her name, but it was useless. The others team members had come closer too, and the Professor and Hank struggled to clear a way through the debris to the adolescent.

"Wait, stand aside!" said Charles.

Storm and Logan made back up the students as Charles, at Jean's side, gently placed one hand on her face, the other against his own temple. He closed his eyes in concentration, while an almost reverent silence filled the ruined infirmary.

In order to not distract the Professor from his task, Scott moved back reluctantly and stayed still, keeping his eyes on the seemingly lifeless form of the one he loved. Hank had taken Jean's vital functions and was also anxiously waiting for Professor Xavier's prognosis, which wasn't long to come.

Charles broke the link with Jean. He kept his eyes on his unconscious young student, as if he wanted to avoid the worried looks of the others X-Men. Finally, with a troubled voice, he said:

"I wasn't able to establish contact with her. Her mind is like a real battlefield; I didn't receive the slightest reaction. It's almost like…like she's no longer here…"

Murmurs filled the room, as an over worried Scott expressed himself in a strained voice:

"What do you mean, Professor? Is she…?"

"Scott," Hank interrupted him, taking control of the situation. "Take Jean up to your bedroom, the med lab is, quite obviously, out of order. Logan, I need the spare monitoring equipment which is in the Danger Room's first aid room"

But Scott was no longer listening; he delicately lifted Jean into his arms and slalomed between the debris to the exit. The others X-Men strayed out of the way, looking nervously at the adolescent in Scott's arms.

* * *

Review please 


	20. Chapter 20

_Thanks to shadowed reflection for the correction of the biggest mistakes ;)

* * *

_

Once in their room, Scott gently laid Jean down on the bed. He slightly brushed away the red locks that had fallen across her face as Charles, Hank, Ororo and Logan came in with the same anxious expression haunting their faces.

- "Scott," the Professor said in a kind voice, trying to be comforting, "we must examine her now. It would probably be better if you waited outside."

- "But…"

- "Scott," Charles said again, more insistently.

He didn't know if the Professor had sent a telepathic order to Storm, but it was she who placed her hands on his shoulders and steered him toward the exit. Reluctantly, Scott gave in, keeping his gaze on Jean as long as possible, until the door had been closed between them. He looked again for her through their bond, but didn't find her.

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Wolverine was the first to leave, having finished helping to install the equipment required by Hank. He told Scott that he didn't know anything more before the adolescent could even ask the question.

That was followed by endless waiting. Storm had ordered the youngest recruits to return to their rooms, while the other X-Men leaned against the wall or sat on the ground, waiting for news. Anton was feeling more powerless than his younger skater.

- "Is there somebody who could explain to me what happened ?" asked Storm "We all saw her catching fire, but where was it coming from and…"

- "…and why didn't it burn her?" ended Logan

Ororo nodded

- "I'm askin' myself the same questions" Logan said "What I know is that Chuck seemed to know more than what he was willing to tell us"

- "What?" exclaimed Scott with a strong intention to go to check this by himself, but Logan stopped him from going in.

- "Let him finish what he has to do Shades"

- "But…"

- "Logan is right my boy" approved Anton "if Charles has something to say, he'll say them at the right time"

Unlike them, Scott couldn't stay still and paced the floor. There he could only blame the sound-proofing of the place because no sound was coming from their bedroom.

Finally, more that twenty minutes after Scott had been banished from the room, the door opened again to reveal Professor Xavier and Dr. McCoy.

- "So? What's wrong with her? How is she? Will she pull through?" hastened to ask Scott, in a feverish but nevertheless forceful voice.

Hank was the first to answer. He sighed and, speaking to Cyclops as well as the other students, said:

- "Jean…Jean's in a coma."

The news stunned the group into momentary silence before a hubbub began.

Charles cleared his throat in order to silence them again, and explained in a voice which he tried to keep steady but which fooled nobody.

- "I still haven't been able to get a response from her. I've tried to search for her in her mind but it's only chaos and confusion. I even believed, during a few moments, that…that perhaps she hadn't been able to withstand the explosion of her powers…that her mind simply couldn't cope, and gave up."

He had purposefully avoided the term '_brain dead'_, not wanting to frighten his students already in shock from what had happened.

- "But her electroencephalogram proves the contrary," he hastened to add. "There's still brain activity, but it's dormant and I simply don't know if…"

That was more that Scott could bear.

- "Let me through!"

He cleared a way between his two instructors, who offered no resistance, and went to their bed where Jean was laid. He didn't listen to the rest of the explanation given by Charles and Hank; no, all his attention was on the young woman whose hand he clasped. He took a deep breath and talk to her.

- "Jean, it's me, Scott. Wake up Jean, please! It's over, everything's calm again. Jean, you can do it, please come back."

A comforting hand laid itself on Scott's shoulder, it was the Professor Xavier. For a long moment, only the sounds of the brain and heart monitors could be heard in the room.

- "Why is she like this?" Scott asked, never tearing his eyes always on Jean's face.

Charles spoke in a soft tone, obviously trying to protect his student.

- "Her powers evolved a lot too rapidly and with too much force for her mind and body to support. Being a mutant, her body is prepared for physical changes during the development of her powers, but not to this extent, not in so little time."

- "But she'll be ok?"

- "I don't know Scott," answered the Professor honestly.

_She can't die, _thought the young leader.

**/We will do all we can not to let that happen, I promise you/** Charles told him through telepathy. Scott's fear had been so overwhelming that he couldn't help but hear it.

- "But you can't reach her telepathically."

- "I admit that's what worries me the most," the Professor answered. "Nevertheless, we have all we need to take care of her; bringing her to a hospital wouldn't bring anything else to her"

Dejected, Scott sighed and laid down at his side, near Jean, his legs seemingly unable to support his weight anymore.

- "You're not telling me everything" he said

Charles was surprised but decided to tell him what he knew:

- "You're right, there is a thing I haven't said to the others. I've found her Scott, but she's inert, kept by the Phoenix"

- "The Phoenix? How do you know its existence?" asked Scott.

The Professor returned the question to him with a perplexed glance.

- "You already know that Jean has fallen into a coma at eight years old following the death of her best friend, she had been as attracted into her mind" explained Cyclops

- "Yes I know it"

- "But she told me that the only thing which she remembered was a Phoenix which had guided her towards the exit" he carried on "But you?"

- "More than fourteen years ago, Destiny, a mutant having the power to see the future, came to prevent me that a female or a male mutant would reveal herself/himself to have an incommensurable power showing itself in the shape of a Phoenix. That, like any infinite power, it could serve the good like the evil, according to the person; that this one would literally be able to create or destroy worlds" explained the Professor.

- "Worlds?" asked Scott, perplexed.

- "A power exceeding the limits of the conceivable" approved Charles "But Destiny told me that all was unclear, that she didn't know which part was the reality and which one wasn't, she hadn't been able to told me how that would appear, as an entity or not"

- "But you saw it near her…"

- "Yes, it's what makes me think that it's not a second personality but... I don't know, it was there beside her without any animosity, as if it was watching for her"

- "As a totem" said Scott by remembering Indian legends of Alaska

- "Yes, but nothing is certain, it didn't let me access to Jean's mind…"

- "Maybe because it considers her too weak?" suggested Scott.

- "Maybe" said the Professor "I made her father and her sister aware, they're on their way"

Scott didn't answer.

- "Even though telepathy didn't give anything, she's still alive. Her mind works and her heart beats; so wherever she may be, if you talk to her and she can hear you, I know that would help her" Charles told him.

Scott nodded silently as the Professor left the room.

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At supper, the students and their instructors gathered in the dinning room with Anton who hadn't left the Institute. Crestfallen, most of them nibbled more than they ate. Scott was the only one to miss the meal; he hadn't left Jean's bedside and didn't touch the meal Storm brought to him on a tray. He looked after Jean throughout the whole night

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The following evening her family arrived and the Professor welcomed them and explained to them the situation as well as Destiny's premonition. They weren't surprised to find Scott near Jean. He had fallen asleep at her sides an arm posed on her belly, a hand in hers, his head resting on the mattress.

- "Don't awake him, he must be exhausted if he hadn't left her since yesterday" said John while going to take her daughter's other hand.

- "It's overall the fact that he doesn't eat which worry us" declared Hank

- "He hasn't swallowed anything since yesterday?" asked Sarah.

- "No, he's too anxious for that"

Scott ended up by waking up with a start

- "Jean!"

- "It's only us Scott, sorry" said Anton.

- "Mr Grey, Sarah, I didn't know that you had arrived"

- "We didn't want to awake you Scott" said John

- "I can't leave her alone" he answered

Jean's father posed a hand on Scott's shoulder:

- "Thank you for taking so much care of her "

- "Not enough unfortunately..."

- "Scott, you don't have anything to do with what happened" The Professor reasoned with him

- "I can't help to think that I could have done something"

- "If you're looking for a responsible; you won't find it because there isn't anyone" said Storm.

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They remained at Jean's bedside during the three following days. Hank had ended up by putting Scott under perfusion. He was the only one not leaving her, the others took turns from time to time.

At one time when he was alone, he took advantage for talking to her again and again.

- "Jean, I'm begging you. Please don't leave me," he said, his voice tired. "You can't…you can't give up. I know you better that anyone ever has or ever will, I know what you're able of. I know that you can do it, that you can fight, so do it, please fight!"

Tears began to silently run down Scott's cheeks, escaping from beneath his ruby-quartz glasses. His parents, his brother, and now Jean? No!

He drew himself up a little and stroked his fingers along the soft skin of Jean's face. He softly caressed Jean's cheek, kissed her on her forehead and her temple, and started speaking again through their desperately empty bond, but even there his tiredness could be heard.

_Jean, I…I wouldn't be able to go on without you, I love you too much, do you hear me?_

He broke off, unable to hold back the tears any longer.

_I'm begging you Jean, don't leave me, please wake up…answer to me, I need you Jean, I don't want to lose you, I'm begging you…_

Overwhelmed by emotion, Scott collapsed on their bed at her side. He kept murmuring to Jean, gradually trailing off as exhaustion finally took over.

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The following day, when Hank examined Jean, he seemed shocked when taking her vital functions.

- "What? What's up?" asked Scott

- "I don't know if... "

- "Hank you must say to me what's happening" insisted Scott

- "She's weakening" ended up admitting Beast "her cerebral waves are slowing down..."

- "No..."

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During the minutes which followed Charles had gathered the adults in his office:

- "Jean's weakening, she going further under into the coma, it's possible that she won't pull through" reached to say the Professor, deeply upset.

- "No, it isn't possible" reacted John.

- "No, not my little sister, you said she was strong" declared Sarah

- "She is, but she's also exhausted" answered Charles

Anton was as dismayed as the others but more optimistic:

- "Jean succeeded in causing enormous damage at the skating rink and the infirmary, she has strength to pull through" he said

- "He's right" approved Ororo "The walls were in reinforced concrete, and not to mention the ceiling! It must have required a colossal amount of psychic strength to accomplish that! If she's really the one Destiny was referring to, she'll pull through"

- "I always knew that Jean was destined to become one of the most powerful telepaths and telekinetics in the world," Professor Xavier interjected. "It was simply a question of time. I was just beginning to believe her powers would continue to develop gradually. I can't help but feel that I failed her somehow; I should have planned for this scenario, and tried to prepare her."

Charles hung his head sadly.

- "No Charles, don't blame yourself," Hank objected. "We have more that a dozen of students here, you can't manage all'

- "And ya tried to help her when we brought her home, but ya weren't able to," added Logan. "Jean's '_power surge_' was surely unavoidable."

- "They're right," agreed Anton. "Preparing Jean might have changed nothing; you had no way of knowing her evolution would take place so rapidly, that she was the one this Destiny was speaking about. Not everything can be predicted, Charles. In the past you had placed blocks in Jean's mind in order to help her to control her powers, but even the strongest can break."

Professor Xavier nodded silently, knowing that his friends were sincere.

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During this time in Scott and Jean's room, the young woman had started to stir up, and the halo begun to reform itself.

**/ Professor!/** Scott launched

**/What's up/ **

**/I don't know! Jean's moving! come here!/**

When the adults arrived, Jean was levitating above the bed, still unconscious but moaning, flames licking her body.

- "Oh my god" said his father.

- "They don't burn her John" Storm reassured him referring to the flames

- "Her electroencephalogram is going back to normal, her tension goes up" noticed Hank

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**Astral ****plain**

In Jean's mind, the rest was finished. She was hearing a song which she hadn't heard for nearly ten years, then a voice spoke to her as it had done before, except that now she recognized this way: telepathy.

_Jean, it's time to wake up, you've__ recovered_ _enough_

_Where am I?_ she asked by opening her eyes to see this marvellous firebird which wasn't unknown to her.

_In the astral __plain__I've taken care of you for nearly four days_ the mythological being answered

_I'm so tired..._

_Your powers developed themselves too quickly, I had to intervene __to keep it from killing__ you..._

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**Reality:**

- "That means that she'll wake up?" asked Scott with hope

- "It seems so, yes"

Suddenly the flames intensified, Jean opened her eyes, and, destabilized, fell down on the mattress, the halo had disappeared.

- "Jean!" they all said in unison while coming closer to her

- "Scott..." she mumbled her eyes closed.

- "I'm here sweetheart" he said by taking her hand, bringing it to his lips for tenderly kissing it

Her arms and legs were numb, she had a headache and opening her eyes seemed to need a colossal strength. Their bond was again wide opened.

- "Scott…she was again there... the Phoenix..." she said by slowly opening her eyes, the time to accustom herself to the light.

- "We know it, we saw it"

- "She intervened to save me... she didn't have... a choice…"

Jean was very weak, as in a form of trance between the imaginary and reality:

- "How do you feel my angel?" asked her father.

- "Daddy...?"

- "Yes it's me, your sister is also there , you gave us quite a fright"

- "I'm so tired…"

- "You will be for several days Jean, your powers leaped forward spectacularly" declared Hank.

- "Why... am I not at the med-bay…?

Ororo's lips let appear a constrained half smile, contrasting with the tears of joy she had just wiped away.

- "That's because there isn't an infirmary any more my child…"

- "What?...I don't remember anything…apart from these thousand of voices and the pain... I'm so tired…she intervened to save me…" repeated Jean

Logan threw an anxious glance to Hank who beckoned to him not to worry.

- "You need to rest Jean, I'll give you a slight sedative" he declared.

Scott didn't leave her until she fell asleep.

- "Don't worry, she'll wake again in a few hours"

- "The Phoenix is still there" said Scott "Jean showed me it through our bond. It's still it who pushed her to wake up, but it's warned Jean that by intervening a fusion has been created between theirs powers"

- "Destiny's vision…" declared Charles not knowing if he should be worried or not.

- "Jean has a good heart, she can only use these powers for the good" said Ororo "It's not as if they had fallen into the brotherhood's hands"

They discussed thus during long minutes before leaving the place. Scott took Jean in his arms and fell asleep. Hank had only left on the electrocardiogram.

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The young woman awoke in the heart of the night

- "Hey" said Scott "how do you feel?"

- "Better, the migraine has passed" she answered.

- "Hank gave you a sedative, you weren't really yourself earlier, you were exhausted"

- "I didn't really know where I was"

- "I know"

Jean felt the residual anguish in Scott's mind

- "Hey, I'm here now, don't worry" she said to him

- "I thought I was gonna lose you for four days, I think that I have the right to have been worried..." he answered, slowly stroking her hair.

- "Come here" she said by pulling him closer toward her for giving him a long kiss "I love you Scott"

- "I love you so much" he answered before kissing her at his turn with passion.

They stayed forehead against forehead

- "Then I hear that I've destroyed the infirmary?" she asked with a slight smile

- "Completely, we could sleep in the open now"

A fright crossed Jean's mind

- "Oh my god, please tell me I didn't hurt anyone!"

- "No everyone's fine, don't worry. You've still to rest it's 3 a.m."

She nodded, laid back her head on his chest, and they ended to fall back asleep.

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The next morning, someone knocked at the door, Scott who had just taken a shower opened it.

- "How is Jean?" asked John.

- "Fine, she awoke during the night, she was more coherent"

- "You, you'll please to me to swallow that" said Anton by handing a sandwich to him.

- "Yes sir" answered Scott

He caught the copious breakfast and ate it quickly, Anton smiled by seeing him finding the appetite again

- "Hmm, Scott is the only one who is allowed to have a breakfast at the bed?" asked Jean who had just awaked.

Her father and her sister were at her side, reassured to see her awake.

- "Ororo's preparing you breakfast" answered Anton.

Just at this moment, Storm entered with the Professor, Hank and Logan

- "Jean, welcome back with us! How do you feel?" asked Charles

- "Better, despite the remainders of a psychic migraine"

Ororo approached her and laid a tray on her. Then, she withdrew the sensor which Jean carried at the end of her finger before switching off the machines, leaving nevertheless the perfusion in place.

- "Ya don't have trouble with yer telepathy or yer telekinesis?" asked Logan "Chuck should perhaps pose some blocks in yer mind"

- "No, it's alright for the moment, the Phoenix told me that she would help me to control my new powers until I would be able to do it alone"

- "She told you the extent of these powers?" asked Hank

- "Partly, but I've trouble to imagine it"

- "Considerable?" purposed Logan

Jean nodded. Charles spoke to her about Destiny's prophecy.

- "Then it was written?"

- "Someway. Fate changes with each one of our choices, it's why her vision wasn't clear" he answered

- "But imagine that I become bad... "

- "You won't become bad Jean, it's not possible" said Scott who had sat down again on the edge of their bed.

- "This being seemed to be pure when I saw it taking care of you, I think that if it told you that it would help you, it will" ensured Charles.

- "How did it speak to ya?" asked Logan

- "By telepathy" answered Jean who therefore wasn't reassured and took again the wire of the conversation: "And what if I lost control? I've the power to create" she said by creating a tiny house in her hand under the amazed glance of the people present "... and to destroy" she added as the house ignited and turned into ashes which she blew "And not only on Earth. Imagine the damage I could cause..."

- "There is no reason for that to arrive" said Anton

Jean tried to believe in it and began her breakfast. During one hour they discussed, before the Professor suggested letting her rest again.

**/Stay/** she sent to the professors by letting Scott hearing it

They turned over. Jean had lost her serene and trustful look, she closed the door by telekinesis.

- "Jean, what's up?" worried Scott.

- "I lied, I didn't want to panic my sister and my father, so I lied" she said

- "About what?" asked Ororo

- "Phoenix's intentions" answered Jean" She didn't say that she would help me to control these powers until I reach to do it alone"

She shivered, Scott approached her to him for reassuring and warming her up.

- "What did she say to you then? Jean?" he asked her by raising her chin for her to look into his eyes; he felt that she was terrorized "Jean?"

- "She said that she would help me as long as that would arrange her, that none of us could survive without the other considering that we were only one and even person and that since Annie's death. It's that day that she, someway, chose me as an host; but she's waited until I become stronger to reveal herself" she said "She told me that she…that we… were fire, power and life incarnation, that nobody would be able to control or to contain us because nobody would be able to be cross us, on this planet or on another one…"

They were stunned by this version of fact

- "Jean, if none of you two can survive without the other, one cannot act without the other, so you'll always have a part of control" declared Charles

- "But for how long?"

- "Jean, whatever she does, she needs you and you're strong" Scott told her "You've remarkable human qualities which only can influence her in a good way, as long as you won't doubt it she won't dominate you"

- "She seemed protective in the astral plain" said Charles

- "She showed you what she wanted you to see" answered Jean

- "Does she seem for ya to be a threat?" asked Logan

- "Not for the moment, she only seems to like the power she holds, she's curious, she's discovered human feelings which she didn't know. Her initial role is to protect humanity" she answered "But what if she changed?"

- "We'll help you Jean, we'll help you to manage the situation" said Hank

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Review please 


	21. Chapter 21

_Thanks to shadowed reflection for the beta of the biggest mistakes__

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**Beginning of July**

For two months, Jean had remained under watchful eyes and despite all helped by the Professor. He remained during the trainings but Jean seemed to have perfectly recovered and to have her powers under control. Even in the danger room, she couldn't make a complete demonstration or she would destroy everything.

The X-Men had had to leave on several occasions and had even had, once, to retreat at the arrival of Wanda Maximoff (which had put a blow to their ego) but Jean hadn't been authorized to accompany them.

For the championships they had already chosen their world championship short program's music which imposed dance has been announced: Samba and Rumba. For the long program they'd found a theme which could seem old but which, modernized and with some additions and a good choreography, gave something superb. It was _'the last night of Beethoven'_ . For relaxing they worked in alternation on one of the two exhibition programs they intended to do if they had the occasion to show it: ' _Time to say goodbye_' by Andréa Boccelli and Sarah Brightman.

They didn't know yet the Olympic Games' imposed dance and would know it only in September. By then they should have found, conceived and acquired an Olympic program, learned their other exhibition, more daring, this one, on ' _Suzanna_' by Art company and to do them all without faults because it would only leave three months to them for learning the second short program although the priority would be given to the world championship ones. Ororo had still a lot to do, even if she had yet realized the first three sets of costumes.

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On the middle of July, Scott invited Jean on a date for relaxing and spending some time together. They went to the same cinema as last time, the one showing only 'old movies' for the other young of their age, but they hadn't seen the majority of them. They decided to go to see the last version of ' _the man in the iron mask'_ and didn't regret it because they adored the movie, and especially...

- "We held it!" said Scott as they were exiting, their arm around each other waist.

- "Yes this music is splendid!" answered Jean as enthusiastic as him "You imagine what we can make on this? A fast, rhythmic and powerful program at the same time!"

- "And a theme for the interpretation, I have even ideas for the choreography!"

- "I have the same ones" Jean said with a smile, their bond was even stronger than before.

Scott passed his other arm around her waist and kissed her:

- "Let's go" he said.

- "But it's too late Scott" answered Jean, knowing about what he was thinking.

- "No, I know a store which remains open until 10p.m., we buy this movie soundtrack and..."

- "... and we'll wake up Anton" she finished before adding with a bit of sadism in the voice "revenge"

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Once the CD was bought they left for Anton's dwelling, but unfortunately he wasn't asleep yet and opened the door upon hearing the car arriving

- "What are you doing here? I thought you were having fun"

- "We've found our Olympic free program!" said Scott on entering, putting the CD into the player.

He began to look for the music they had liked.

- "What? At the cinema?" asked the trainer, perplexed.

- "Call that luck" answered Jean.

Scott found the good track and raised the sound as Anton was closing the entrance door.

- "_'The man in the iron mask_' soundtrack. You know, this is a French legend according to which a man carrying an iron mask who was locked up under the reign of Louis XIV"

- "Da, I know this story"

He listened to the music with interest.

- "Da... really good choice, lot of possibilities"

- "And especially we both like it" supported Jean "It's simple, we've just seen the movie and we knew it'd be that"

- "For me it's ok, and that it pleases you and the music is very good" said Anton " lend me the CD so that I could make musical arrangement respecting the free program timing and changes of rhythms. All the same, you don't have already ideas for choreography, have you?"

- "We have, for lifts and transitions " Scott declared

- "Also about interpretation" added Jean.

- "Well, it's brilliant, amazing, but brilliant my children" said Anton "I'll work on my side and buy this movie. You, you write your ideas and go to bed, tomorrow, training at six a.m."

So they had now their entire musical theme, it only missed the Olympics' imposed dance, but they had work to do until then.

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**End of July **

One day, during the great holidays, they learned that the Brotherhood was preparing a bad blow. Although their last meeting hadn't turned in their favour, the X-Men intervened, especially that this time Jean was with them. And had naturally took the codename of Phoenix.

In their new black leather uniforms, they went on the spot, at a mall, and ended up by locating them.

- "Hey look at who's there!" said Toad

- "Go away, you know that you're not cut out to face Wanda, and moreover, we've two Magneto's acolytes with us" pointed out Pietro by indicating Pyro and Gambit.

Rogue spoke:

- "You believed that a failure would prevent us to come for kicking your asses at your next nasty trick?"

- "And this time it's our turn to introduce someone to you, we've the Phoenix with us" pointed out Evan by indicating Jean who, the impassive face, was observing them with an insistent glance.

Gambit laughed:

- "_'Phoenix'_ you didn't find something more adapted as a code name? Jean's powerful, I concede it, but the Phoenix is known in mythology to have unlimited powers"

He was cut by Pyro for who the temptation was too strong:

- "You want to see a Phoenix? Here there is one!" he said by creating a firebird which he directed right towards the X-Men while laughing uproariously.

But quickly, he lost control of it. His creation was detached from him and went to land on the arm which Jean presented to it like would have made a parrot towards his Master.

- "But what are you doing?" asked Avalanche

- "It's not me" said Pyro "I don't control it anymore"

- "Wanda?" asked Pietro.

- "I didn't do anything"

Jean cut them by declaring:

- "Good representation, but it's not faithful to the original" she said while passing her fingers over the bird which seemed as to inflate his plumage of fire of pleasure "You have talent Pyro, you can make beautiful things..."

She hadn't let the bird out of sight. She opened the palm of her hand, the bird moved toward it.

- "... the trouble is that you don't use it advisedly" she finished by closing her hand, making the animal disappear before deferring her glance, even more penetrating than the previous one, on them.

Pyro's creation hadn't even burned her, she had given it life and taken control of it with an astonishing facility. It was rather scary, overall with her glance and her imposing presence.

- "Phoenix, if you intervene, we won't be able to unwind ourselves for even one minute" said Kurt.

- "That's fine with me, I've an appointment" said Tabitha

- "You believe that she's frightening us?" asked the Blob

Phoenix's half smile was rather worrying:

- "No, I don't _**believe**_ that I'm frightening you, I _**know**_ that it's already the case, I feel it" she answered slowly, keeping her eyes on them

- "Ridiculous!" said Gambit by sending four cards per automatism, but they didn't charge themselves...

- "Cheers, a square of aces" pointed out Rogue making obviously fun of him

- "But what's…??"

- "Wanda, block their powers!" ordered Pietro

- "I can't, she's too powerful!" Wanda answered by indicating Jean "she blocked my powers!"

- "Hey, mine too!" said the Blob "I feel all slackness"

- "I'll give them back to you, but you'll have to go back home without making a fuss" said Phoenix "I'm giving you a chance, don't waste it"

They felt their powers coming back.

- "Lance, we leave? I don't feel it" said Toad

- "It's only conjuring tricks" he answered before creating an earthquake... that Phoenix returned towards them with a mere thought.

They fell to the ground and, when they again rose to their feet, they saw that Jean's body was henceforth licked by flames, her glance was also ignited...

- "What did you say about her codename Gambit?" asked Wanda

- "Perhaps it wasn't so inappropriate than that finally…" he admitted his eyes not leaving Phoenix out of his sight.

- "I had warned you, you don't imagine the extent of my powers..." she said dangerously.

- "Jean..." Scott recalled her to the order but she didn't pay attention to him "Leave, if you know what's good for you!" he said toward their enemies.

They didn't wait to be asked again, and ran away in a common accord.

Once out of sight, Jean's eyes regained their normal colour, the flames disappeared and the assurance which she had also.

- "Scott..." she said by giving him an anxious glance.

- "Let's go back, it'll be alright" he told her

The others had trouble to understand what was happening, they didn't have the complicity Scott and Jean shared.

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Cyclops sent a message to Charles so that he gathered all the adults and, as soon as they were back to the Institute, he and Jean went to the Professor's office..

- "So, what happened?" he asked by seeing the two young entering

Scott was holding Jean against him and made her sit down on the sofa.

- "She controls me " she said, obviously shaken "At our arrival, as soon as we saw the members of the brotherhood I felt her taking control, I was seeing and hearing all which was happening, but I couldn't do anything…"

- "There were casualties?" asked Logan in front of Jean's reaction

- "No, but a small demonstration of power, sufficient for making them flee" answered Scott. "Jean's right, she changed by arriving on the spot, she hadn't her usual behaviour, she had more confidence, authority, and maybe even a bit of arrogance. When Phoenix physically appeared I wanted to recall Jean to the order, but our bond had again weakened and she didn't listen to me."

- "But I heard you" said Jean "I concentrated to keep control, to prevent her from going further"

- "And it worked" admitted Scott "At least I could advise the others to leave for not letting the pressure keep it on"

The Professor remained pensive

- "So the Phoenix would take control during the battles, It's indeed to supervise"

- "She wants to show her power" said Jean "She hasn't bad intents, but we shouldn't give her the opportunity to do it. I've got to stop going with the X-Men on missions, it's the only solution"

Ororo and Logan agreed:

- "If you feel it like it, then you must follow your instinct" approved Hank.

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The following week, Jean seemed to be weakening, she even passed out at school and also at the Institute. Hank didn't find anything abnormal except that her blood pressure was a little low. She was only tired and he put that on the account of the trainings and asked Anton to let her train at her own rythm. He also proposed some sleeping pills to Jean, so she would have a more restful night's sleep, but she answered that she didn't need them.

As foreseen when, six days after what had happened against the Brotherhood, the X-Men had to leave on mission, Jean remained at the Institute.

When Scott silently entered their room , it was past midnight, the mission had been longer than they had thought. He went to the bathroom for a shower, then returned to the room to slip into bed; Jean had her back turned to him. He changed his glasses and was about to close his eyes when he realized:

- "Jean, you're not sleeping"

It was more a fact than a question. He turned himself toward her, leaning on one elbow, stroking her hair and her arm with his other hand.

- "It's why you're so tired, why I haven't had to wake you for nearly a week and it's why you passed out twice, isn't it? What's up Jean?"

- "I can't sleep" she answered

- "You can't, or you prevent yourself from falling asleep?"

She sighed, he had seen right through her.

- "Sleep is the moment when we are the most vulnerable, if I fall asleep, the Phoenix risks taking control as she did last week..."

- "Why didn't you speak to me about that Jean?"

- "I don't know... "

- "And don't you believe that by exhausting yourself you're making yourself even more vulnerable?" he asked, he knew he had marked a point.

He turned her over to take her against him:

- "You must sleep Jean, with the amount of work which we cumulate, the stress and all the remainder, you won't hold the shock"

- "I'm afraid to hurt you or worse if I lose control" she admitted her voice slightly shaking, she was overwhelmed.

- "I know this feeling, except that for me there is no control possible"

Jean seemed suddenly elsewhere

- "Hey"

- "No control possible" she repeated

- "Yes, my accident"

She had just had an idea and for this she'd be the one using the Phoenix. She smiled to him

- "What is it?"

- "You just gave me the answer I was missing"

She kissed him

- "I love you"

- "So do I" he answered, perplexed of this sudden change before asking "Finished the sleepless nights?"

- "Finished, promised"

- "Good"

- "Good night Scott"

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Three days later, after a training at the skating rink calmer than the others, the time for her to regain her strengths, Jean went to the laboratory:

- "Jean? What's up?? Are you feeling ill?" asked Beast

- "No, no, everything's alright, I've settled the problem" she said "But I need you, I want to know exactly why Scott can't control his powers anymore, I want to see his scanners and those of a brain undamaged by a traumatism, I want to know where the problem is located, what composes it and I want to understand why It's not operable"

- "Well!" Hank answered after having closed back his mouth he had kept opened in front of this tirade.

- "Can you answer all of that?" she asked, it seemed really important for her

- "Yes, of course, when do you want it?"

- "As soon as possible"

- "Shall I make you a briefing tomorrow at the same hour?" he purposed

- "Perfect, thank you"

- "But, Jean" he said as she was about to exit "Can I know why you want to know all of this?"

- "I want to understand" she answered

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The next evening, as scheduled, he was explaining to her what she wanted to know. After a good half hour, they were in front of two different scanners:

- "As you can see, at the time of the accident, this zone of Scott's brain was touched which has, kind of, cut some of the connections which should have enabled him to control his powers. On this scan, these connections are intact"

- "And why is it not operable?"

- "Because it's an inaccessible zone"

- "Not inevitably... " Jean murmured before saying in a more audible way "Thank you for all these explanations Hank, I've got to go now"

Beast looked at her with a smile as she was leaving, this young woman would never cease to astonish him.

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Review please 


	22. Chapter 22

This very evening Jean wanted to realize the impossible, she wanted to realize a dream that Scott himself must have forgotten with time. But she was Phoenix after all, she knew that she was able to do it thanks to the bond she shared with Scott.

They went to their room at the same time, got changed and glided in the bed. And Scott wasn't long to feel something.

- "What do you have behind your head Jean?" he asked

- "You're becoming dangerous, I can't keep anything secret" she teased him.

He smiled and laid down in front of her by embracing her. They kissed for some minutes before Jean delicately broke it as she was laid on him. They were practically naked and the window was opened for letting the fresh air of august night come in.

- "Do you want to know?" she asked, stroking his face.

- "Yes"

- "So close your eyes" she asked him

Scott did what she had asked him but, when he felt his glasses being removed, he tensed and closed even more strongly his eyelids.

- "Jean, what are you doing?" he asked in an anxious tone.

- "Do you trust me?"

- "With all my soul" he answered without hesitation

She smiled and laid a kiss on his lips

- "Then relax yourself"

She posed her hands on his temples and closed her eyes.

- "Jean?"

- "Ssshhh"

She knew he was feeling vulnerable like this and that he didn't like the fact that she was in front of him whereas he wasn't wearing his shades. With her mind, she managed to locate the zone responsible of Scott's problems. She trusted herself, she knew what she had to do. Using her power of reorganizing the molecules, she repaired the zone in a few moments.

- "Here is" she said

- "What did you do? I had a strange feeling"

- "Open your eyes Slim"

- "Jean, I can't, you know perfectly that I can't"

Jean sighed and gave him his glasses

- "And now, can you please open them?" she asked him nicely.

She understood that, after such a long time and without knowing what she had done, he was reluctant, but she wanted him to discover it by himself, with his own eyes. He made sure that his shades were well placed and opened his eyes. There wasn't a reddening of his glasses, but Jean knew yet that she had succeeded.

- "Why is it so dark? Have you switched off the lights?"

- "No, but I remind you that you're wearing particularly tinted sunglasses in a room at 10.30 p.m; which, in general, is not very practical..." she answered for putting him on the track.

Scott stayed silent a few moments trying to understand the meaning of her words, he couldn't believe what he was thinking about.

- "You'd see better by removing them" she added

- "Jean..."

- "You said that you trusted me, so proves it, remove them. You know that you can't hurt me, I can protect myself, I'm Phoenix"

He hesitated one moment, and then removed them.

- "Now open your eyes"

- "... "

- "Go on, trust me"

He turned his head towards the opened window and briefly opened his eyes.

- "I haven't destroyed anything…." he realized, perplexed

- "You didn't intend to, did you?"

- "You mean that...? You...?"

- "Open your eyes and keep them opened Scott, everything is safe now" she asked him

More trustful, Scott risked it but still toward the window and gasped in surprise.

- "Colours…" he managed to say, having despite all trouble to get used to this sudden change and to identify them even though he had seen colours thank to his bond with Jean "No shades of pink and red…how?"

- "I'm supposed to have unlimited powers, am I not? Then when we spoke some days ago, you made me realize how I could use them"

She placed her hand under his chin in order he turn his face toward her. By reflex, he tightly closed his eyes.

- "I want to see your face Scott, I want to see your eyes. Everything is alright, your brain damage is repaired, you've control now"

- "I'm afraid to hurt you"

- "You won't, you don't feel any pressure anymore, do you?"

- "No" he admitted

- "So please, open your eyes"

He caught a big breath and did it slowly. Jean met his glance for the first time without his glasses, his eyes were hazelnuts, he had a splendid glance. Being able to see them filled her with joy, she didn't need that to probe his soul but it was fantastic, she knew what it meant to him. She smiled widely:

- "You've superb eyes Scott" she said by passing her fingers around them.

He was seeing Jean for the first time in all her splendour, the vibrant red of her hair, the true colour of her skin and of her eyes.

- "My god, Jean, what a beautiful young woman you are" he said overwhelmed, passing his hands on her face "You were yet a wonderful young woman, but you're even more beautiful like it…I must be dreaming…"

She felt tears coming to her eyes, he had yet some of them running through his cheeks.

- "No you're not dreaming"

He held her tight into his arms, inebriating himself with her scent, setting free his emotions.

- "More than ten years…without our bond, I'd have forgotten the colours...Everything is so strange, but so beautiful…"

- "Wait for the day light" she murmured at his ear.

She wiped his tears away before saying:

- "It seems that you were so craving for controlling your powers that it's not for stopping them that you'll have to work, but for using them"

Scott slightly laughed.

- "I don't care as long as it's in this way and that I can see you" he said "You've just realized one dream I didn't even remember that I had… I don't know how to thank you"

- "You don't have too, your happiness and your love are enough for me" she answered.

- "I love you so much" he told her in a voice screaming with truth and emotions.

- "I love you too"

He started to kiss her, Jean switched off the light by telekinesis. The night was particularly short and emotive...

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When Jean awoke, she saw that the sun was about to rise. Their room being directed toward the East, the spectacle was present every morning. She pulled herself up a little and sweetly awoke Scott with some kisses, one on each of his eyelids.

- "Hmmm"

- "Scott wake up, but keep your eyes closed while you get up."

- "What...?"

He checked that his glasses were well in place by reflex, before remembering the gift Jean had made to him.

- "Today is a new day for you" she said maliciously to him.

She wrapped their naked bodies with the sheet, then got up and guided him on the balcony.

- "What are you hatching this time?" he asked, kissing her in the neck

- "Open your eyes and see for yourself" she said

Feeling that his powers were still inactive, he did what she asked him

- "Wow, it's, it's splendid" he said by laying his chin on her shoulder, he had already his arms around her waist "All these colours, yellow, purple, orange, blue, green I don't manage to believe in it..."

She let herself lay against his chest.

- "How long has it been since you've really seen a sunrise?"

- "Too long to even remember it…" he articulated

- "That symbolizes a new birth for you"

- "Thanks to you" he said before turning her towards him.

He drew the features of her face with his hands:

- "You're even more beautiful in the daylight, more beautiful than an angel" he said to her before kissing her

Jean let herself melt into his kiss and slipped her arms around the nape of his neck, keeping the sheet in place by telekinesis.

- "Hum hum" coughed a voice which they recognized immediately.

Jean reopened her eyes and raised them towards Logan who had just surprised them as he was smoking a cigar on his own balcony.

- "I said to myself that it was better that I make my presence known." he said

- "Sorry Logan, I hadn't felt you"

- "So how often do ya two to go out half naked at dawn?" he asked her.

Jean blushed without wanting it, she remembered that they were only covered by a sheet and that it wasn't difficult to understand that they didn't wear anything else. Scott hadn't released her as he would have done usually, on the contrary, he was gently rocking her and said to her through their bond

_What if we made as if he wasn't there? _

- "Scott!" she nicely reprimanded him even though the idea was really tempting.

- "What did he said to ya?" asked Logan, lifting his eyebrows

- "Nothing" hastened to answer Jean trying to concentrate on another thing than the naked body of her lover against hers "It was only for watching the sunrise on another eye, overall for Scott, it's a big event"

_Scott, stop, you'll make me mad_ she said to him through their bond.

She was doing her best for remaining unmoved in front of his caresses but she was all fire and flames if we referred to the Phoenix.

_Then shorten the discussion _he answered, slightly biting the nape of her neck

She didn't have the choice, she had much control, but she wasn't going to last much longer.

- "You'll understand later Logan" she said to him "I believe that we will finish our night in order to take advantage of the late training for sleeping a little more"

- "Of course" answered Logan who wasn't taken by it at all, but those two started to amuse him now, although he wondered what event could have made Scott so detached from reality...a big event…

The young couple was going to disappear in their room, when Jean said to him:

- "No, I'm not pregnant" before going to their room and closing the window.

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**9h30, kitchen**

It was the peak hour. When Jean arrived with Scott, everyone said good morning to them, without noticing anything, before Ororo exclaimed:

- "My god Scott !"

And there everybody looked at him.

- "Hey but don't you wear your glasses anymore?" asked Bobby

- "How?" Kitty connected

- "He has beautiful eyes, our Cyclops" continued Tabitha

The Professor came in with Hank to see what was happening:

- "Scott" he said perplexed "How?"

Hank wasn't long in understanding:

- "That's why you wanted to know everything about the reason of the blockage of Scott's powers, it's you Jean who did it, isn't it?"

She nodded. Logan walked in.

- "Wow, have I missed something?"

- "I believe that Jean's repaired the damaged zone of Scott's brain" summarized Amara

- "Then that was the great event of this mornin'" said Logan

- "What are you talking about?" asked Ororo

- "Oh, we understood each other" answered Wolverine.

The Professor intervened, still as much amazed:

- "You don't have problems of control?"

- "No, I've my glasses with me in the case I'd need them. But I think Jean is right, it's not for blocking them that I'll have to work, I tried to do that during all these years, it's for using them"

- "We'll work on it"

- "I'm so happy for you Scott" said Ororo

- "It's fantastic all these colours" he smiled

It wasn't hard to see that Scott was in an almost second state, he was really on a small cloud, nothing could make him lose his smile, not even though someone had told him that the new recruits had destroyed his car.

- "Scott, I would like to test something, can you prepare my breakfast?" asked Jean

- "Of course"

Before letting her leave he gave her a long kiss, which was a first time like this in public

- "Hey get a room" said Kurt

- "Especially since you have one "added Kitty

The young couple remained forehead against forehead a few moments:

- "Thank you" he told her again

She passed her hand across his face, then laid a slight kiss on his lips before disengaging herself from his arms.

- "Professor? Can I see you in private?" she asked

- "Of course, let us go into the common room" he invited her.

Ororo had a wide smile following Scott's demonstration of love and declared:

- "Eh well, seeing life again in colours, it changes a man"

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Review please 


	23. Chapter 23

_Oh man, sorry for the delay..._

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Common Room **

- "A problem Jean?" asked Charles by stopping his wheelchair

- "No, on the contrary, I succeeded where medicine had failed for Scott, I'd like to try it with you, for giving back to you the use of your legs"

The Professor was very touched.

- "What do I have to do?"

- "Just relax and open your mind" answered Jean

He did what she asked. Jean concentrated to find the zone of the Professor's divided spinal cord, but that required more energy from her than for Scott. She was hardly starting to visualise the zone reached when she felt like she was ejected out of the place.

- "Hey Jean, are you alright?" asked Charles.

- "Yes" she said before re-concentrating.

But here again, she was rejected.

- "I can't do it" she said by massaging her temples "I don't know what is it, but something's preventing me from isolating the zone for a sufficient enough time to work on it"

- "Don't worry about it Jean" told the Professor

- "I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have given you false hope" she said sincerely sorry.

He laid a paternal hand on hers.

- "Jean, I told you, don't be sad. I've in this wheelchair nearly thirteen years, even though you had restructured my spinal column I don't know if I'd have had the courage to make re-education"

- "But what is the use of this infinite power if I can't heal people?"

- "Maybe Phoenix is preventing you from doing it?"

- "She didn't do it for Scott"

- "I think that it's this so unique bond that you share with him which gave you this access to the damaged zone"

Jean remained quiet a few moments, she had thought about all the people she could heal, but she wouldn't be able to do it.

- "You've already made a miracle Jean, you've given back to Scott the capacity to see the colours again and this is marvelous" he said "Scott, I will give you a false medical certificate for the school and the competitions. Like that, they will only believe that you've had an operation"

Then, seeing that Jean seemed still as sorrier.

- "Go Jean, if you could heal one person, you would have to heal everybody, going sometimes against the nature. Even gods cannot do everything"

- "Yeah, gods" she said sarcastically "I'm not a believer, and I have powers qualified by some people as divine, but that's the last straw"

- "Yes" smiled the Professor.

Jean returned his smile to him

- "Go ahead, take your breakfast, you'll be late for your training"

- "Thank you Professor"

- "For what?"

- "For being there, for supporting me and always knowing what to tell me when I'm questioning myself" she said "Mutants would be lost without you"

She laid a kiss on his bare head and left the place. Charles smiled, he was proud of her and very flattered by her recognition.

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**One month later,**

Scott was perfectly accustomed with the fact of not having to wear his glasses anymore. He had reflexes to lose and also work to do, but now he could say that he was controlling his powers. That had changed him a lot, he was more optimistic than before and was easily filled with wonder in front of landscapes rich colours.

The day before the beginning of term, they went to the skating-rink. Anton was waiting for them with a letter:

- "Olympics' short program" he announced.

- "Verdict?" asked Scott.

- "You yet know that, for world championship which will be held in Paris in December, it's Latin dances: samba, rumba etc" he said "You've chosen music and almost acquired your choreography which will make melt ice" he smiled

- "Ok, but what about the Olympics one?"

- "I wanted to recall the world championships' imposed dance for showing at which point they made very original for Olympics" said Anton with irony "Also Latin dance, but a Spanish flamenco this time. You control well this dance, that should go well"

- "So it's the same, we listen to the CD and we select the music" supposed Jean

- "It's that. And as quickly as possible so that I can make choreography and that we can work above quickly, we've a little more than three months. You'll also take advantage of the national championship of next month to train in real conditions with your world championship program"

The two young people nodded, that didn't pose problem to them. Moreover it would also be a way for preparing themselves to the pressure with, for Jean, her new powers and, Scott, his new control. It'd be the first time they'd show twice the same program, until then they had always made unique things

----------------------------------------------

The two months passed very quickly, they had won the national championship hands down and in the same moment seen what they had to improve and change in their choreography.

They had acquired their world championships' short program on which they worked everyday alternately with their long program and their exhibition. They would benefit of the six weeks separating these championships to the ones of the Olympics Games for revising the flamenco and to ameliorate their free program.

----------------------------------------------

But one month before the world championship, an event came to turn their life upside down.

A man named Trask, knowing the mutants existence and hating them without another reason that the fear of what he was unaware of, had worked during years to the conception of giant robots called ' _Sentinels'_. They had for only and single goal to track and immobilize or even to kill the mutants which they were able to target thank to the I.A, the Artificial Intelligence, which had been established into them. Of course all that was an absolute secret, but not for everyone...

For testing them, he had kidnapped Wolverine and the X-Men were at his research. Charles had used Cerebro, but hadn't found anything, it was Jean who located him thanks to the Phoenix's powers

- "Then?" asked the Professor.

- "He's in New York, restrained captive in a kind of military complex located here" she answered by indicating a place on the map posted on the large screen of the control room "It's right in the middle of a district of New York, a zone which is deserted"

- "I don't see any complex" pointed out Ororo

- "It's buried" answered Jean "I've also located other people Professor"

- "Who?"

- "Magneto and his team"

Knowing her able to localise Magneto without even Cerebro's help, he when himself wasn't able to, was showing her powerfulness.

- "In the complex?"

- "No, on the surface, in the surroundings"

- "What is he up to?" wondered Ororo

- "No idea but we better intervene before he does something regrettable" declared Charles

- "We're on it Professor" said Scott

The X-Men team was henceforth increased by the last recruits whose only Jamie and Rahne, still too young, were for the moment isolated.

- "Ororo and Hank will accompany you" decided the Professor "Your priority is to find and bring back Logan, but Magneto also takes part of your objectives, we should prevented him from harming"

The X-Men agreed and left to change.

Before letting Scott leave, Jean kissed him and asked him to pay attention, she had a bad premonition that something was going to happen. As before, she was going to stay at the Institute with the Professor, Jamie and Rahne. She didn't like to remain in withdrawal, not being on the field just in case, and Phoenix either, she felt it, but it was the only solution.

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The X-Jet and one X-Copter left for New York where they landed two minutes later. Kurt wasn't long to notice Magneto 'spheres of transport, so Jean was right, he was there. But Kitty, she noticed someone else:

- "Lance, what are you, like, doing here?"

- "Pietro led us here, and you what are you doing there?" Avalanche asked back.

- "Wolverine disappeared, we know by Phoenix that, like, he's prisoner under our feet and Magneto is in the corner"

- "Magneto??" said Wanda with anger "Where??"

- "No idea, but he didn't come alone, there are five spheres of transport over there" answered Kurt.

They were stopped by a deafening noise. Suddenly, all the rivets of a steel structure flew away, the panels made the same and revealed the four acolytes: sabre-tooth, Colossus, Pyro and Gambit.

- "Nobody told you not to put yourselves across Magneto's way" asked Sabre-tooth at the X-Men but also the Brotherhood

- "Where is he??" asked Tabitha

- "You don't have to know it fillette" said Gambit by sending some charged cards toward them.

- "Apparently Magneto doesn't protect you anymore" launched Scott at the Brotherhood by avoiding the cards.

He was wearing his visor for controlling more efficiently the power of his beams.

- "He's only a coward!" said Wanda by hexing Pyro.

- "There'll be action!" launched Spyke by counterattacking Gambit

- "You don't even imagine it..." said Quicksilver before running away which didn't go unnoticed by his sister.

- "It's a trap!!" she launched as the Acolytes were springing for good on the X-Men and the Brotherhood.

They didn't think anymore about Phoenix, Jean hadn't accompanied the X-Men anymore since months without them knowing why. The Accolytes had deduced from it that she had lost her powers, without what they wouldn't have dared...

Ororo ended up by locating the master of magnetism:

- "Magneto is up there!"

- "He'll pay!" declared Wanda

- "Wait!" Avalanche stopped her "We don't know what he's preparing nor... "

Suddenly the ground began to tremble

- "It's not me" he hastened to say.

Everything collapsed and all the mutants found themselves in a hangar where was Wolverine

* * *

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	24. Chapter 24

Everything collapsed and all the mutants found themselves in a hangar where was Wolverine

- "I think that we've found the base..." said Hank

- "It's nice to pay me a visit" told Wolverine before noticing the presence of the Brotherhood and the Acolytes "What're they doin' here?"

- "I believe Magneto has set a trap" answered Wanda

- "Speak for yourselves, he didn't set any trap for us!" said Pyro

- "It's because of him that I've been captured by Trask, another fanatic... "

He was cut by the characteristics sound of weapons which were charged.

- "Oh oh" said Scott

- "Nobody move" ordered Ororo

- "Who would want to move?" pointed out Toad.

- "Sentinels activated Mr Trask" they heard

- "Well, let's the household be done all alone, back up"

Deafening noises were heard

- "But what...?" asked Gambit

- "It... it sounds like steps" said Kurt

- "You cannot have found a better word Elf, it's a robot designed to liquidate us" answered Wolverine

- "Charming" scoffed Hank.

Only it wasn't one, but two pairs of red eyes which switched on at more than twenty meters height.

- "Ah that wasn't in the program" retorted Wolverine.

The building shook and strangely the ground started to go up. That seemed to escape control from Trask himself, another person was in the blow and there were no doubts about its identity.

- "Magneto will pull us out of there" said Pyro

- "I wouldn't bet on it" retorted Logan

They quickly found themselves at the surface and the two sentinels immediately started to shoot at them.

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Above them, a commentator of the road network was doing his usual speech in a helicopter.

- "There is a large deceleration on the D95 which goes from..." he noticed the scene which was held under the apparatus "Franck! You should film that!! The control, here is the helicopter number six, we've images for a special edition, the whole world must see that!"

A woman with white hair flying and launching lightning, beings with fur, and especially these robots which were destroying everything. They wrapped one by one these strange characters, whose some of them were wearing comic strip like uniforms, in a kind of green jelly.

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- "Nothing is working, these things are indestructible!" Storm howled to be heard.

The sentinels had henceforth entered the city, shooting all kinds of projectiles going from simple balls to the missiles by passing by plasma rays and immobilizing matters.

- "Nothing is indestructible!" contradicted Scott

- "Even the adamantium hardly has effect on them, yer beams either kid" said Logan.

- "We have to stop them at all costs" retorted Cyclops

- "The army sent the navy" announced Hank

But the helicopters didn't seem to approach.

- "Magneto's retainin' them, he's completely mad!" roared Wolverine

- "Let's try another grouped attack" suggested Scott as all the mutants with offensive powers concentrated on one of the sentinels.

It staggered behind, but began again its walk and captured Tabitha in this strange greenish mass where she joined Rogue, the Blob and Spyke. The two sentinels were always whole, neither Scott's optical blasts, nor Storm's lightning or tornadoes had really damaged them. Only the grenade slipped by Kurt into the carcass of one of them seemed to have caused some damage.

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Like thousands of people throughout the world, the Professor, Jamie, Rahne and Jean were following the events on the television

- _"Terrorized passers by flee, howling, as foreigners with superhuman powers are facing two gigantic robots hopelessly!!"_

- "Oh my god" said Rahne

Jean was out of patience and extremely worried

- "I must go there!" she declared, she felt the Phoenix bubbling in her body, she had a mission to fill and Jean couldn't contain her for a long time "I can't let them be massacred when I can stop these machines!!"

- "Although I'd have preferred not to put Phoenix in front of such an occasion to show her powers, I can't retain you" answered the Professor "One X-Copter remains"

Jean's eyes ignited, the molecules of her clothes reorganized themselves and created a red and white uniform

- "It won't be necessary" she answered in a more ensured voice, a smile on her lips, Phoenix was at the controls.

She engulfed herself in flames and vanished from the place as if it didn't contain walls. The Professor was still not accustomed to it. In a few seconds, she traversed tens of kilometres separating her from her friends and the man she loved.

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On the top of his tower, Magneto was observing his work, satisfied. The X-Men and his own teams were exceeded, they didn't have an exit anymore.

The citizens were running in all the directions, when one of them saw a gleam:

- "Look at it, what is it??!!"

A powerful song, but nevertheless very melodious, made itself hear and, what a few microseconds earlier resembled to a fireball afar, revealed itself in all its splendour: An immense firebird had appeared and Jean's body could be distinguished only when it stopped at ten meters height, in front of the sentinels, protecting the mutants with its wings. With a mere thought she released those who had been fixed

- **"Who are the cowards who send robots against beings made of flesh and blood??!!"** asked Phoenix in a powerful and obviously threatening voice.

The sentinels turned towards her. Not because they had understood the meaning of her words, but because they had identified her as a mutant and a set of priorities to destroy her had just been transmitted to them. They focused their weapons on her and shot.

During one moment the zone was invaded of smoke, but when it dissipated, everyone could see that it didn't have had any effect on Phoenix, whose flames just intensified. This didn't only astonish the humans, the mutants were also perplexed and they'd assist to other demonstration of power.

- **"Cowards or idiots, you won't see your toys anymore!"** she snarled **"I am Phoenix, the mutants and the whole humanity is under my protection, so clear off!!"**

Without even putting much energy at it, she made rise from the ground the two sentinels, each one weighing several hundred tons, and crushed them by projecting them into each other with an incredible strength. She finished by reducing them into an unimportant metal heap. Then, even before Magneto could react, the Phoenix was behind him.

Of course, the mutant had heard echoes of Jean's new powers, but not having seen it with his own eyes and considering that she didn't accompany the X-Men any more, he had thought that it was only a rumour, a way for his teams to explain their failure. Here he had just seen a demonstration particularly convincing. Some twenty powerful mutants hadn't even being able to make fall these robots, himself wouldn't have done better. She, by herself, had reduced them into pieces without even tiring herself…

- "You made a terrible mistake Magneto" said Phoenix, her fiery eyes on him as she was still surrounded by flames "You've not only revealed our existence to the world, you did it by endangering thousands of humans' life of and especially mutants' ones whom most of them are my friends…"

The others, who were still in the street, gathered their mind. Logan, not liking to know the Phoenix alone and not knowing where was Scott, asked Kurt to teleport him

- "Give me your reasons, don't force me to tear them from your mind" said Phoenix who had landed on the building

- "You don't have a chance to read my mind" scoffed Eric

- "I knew you were there even before the X-Men arrived" she said "You don't even imagine who you have in front of you Magneto: I am the fire, I am the incarnation of the life as of the death, of the love as of the hate, of the creation as of the destruction, of the good as of the evil, on the Earth as in the whole universe. I am the incarnation of the absolute power, I am Phoenix, don't underestimate me" she answered before entering Magneto's mind.

Magneto wasn't expecting it and fell to his knees in pain.

- "Jean, stop!" said Logan

- "I have what I wanted to know, but others must hear it and he'll confess it" she declared as she regained her shape of Phoenix

She took along Magneto to the bottom of the building, where mutants and humans had gathered. Kurt teleported back Logan.

The flames disappeared but the fiery eyes remained when Phoenix let Magneto collapse in front of the Brotherhood and the Acolytes. Journalists had risked to come closer for filming, Phoenix didn't address a glance to them.

- "Your mentor has something to say"

Magneto remained dumb but he winced again after a slight psychic attack before starting to admit everything:

- "It's... I'm the one who provoked this meeting with these sentinels, I... I wanted to start a war between humans and mutants for... so that we would only have to conquer them!"

He winced again.

- " Ok…you didn't take part of my plan…I had posted you there for being spared of you"

The people concerned wanted to throw themselves on him but Phoenix prevented them

- "No, he must be judged for his acts. He'll be given to the justice, he'll be kept in a plastic prison where any metal object will be banished"

She turned herself toward Pietro and stopped him as he had started to flee

- "As for his son, he's as much guilty as his father, he knew about everything"

- "Monsters!" roared Wanda toward her father and her brother "You assholes!"

Phoenix knocked out Magneto and Pietro with a simple thought in order to immobilize them and to calm Wanda.

Then the flames dancing in her eyes vanished and Jean almost passed out, but Ororo restrained her. Her bond with Scott was wide opened again and it wasn't for reassuring her.

…_Je…an_…

Her eyes filled up with terror

- "What's up Jean?" asked Logan

- "Where is Scott?" she panicked, leaving her psychic migraine aside

- "He was with us... " remembered Jubilee "Then he asked us to flee before going to help somebody"

- "We've to find him, he's in danger!" said Jean

Logan had understood that Jean couldn't use her power again immediately; they would have to use traditional methods:

- "Ok, we part, Ororo, stay here with the casualties" he ordered

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Jean was already far, she followed their bond and, after sometimes, caught a glimpse of a bloodied shape laid on the ground, Scott's body.

- "No!!"

She ran towards him. A woman moved away from him by repeating that he was a hero, that he had saved her daughter's life. A man was holding a little girl against him on the other side of the street.

- "... Jea..nn..." murmured Scott trying to raise his hand towards her face. He didn't hope to see her, the fact of having felt her presence suddenly had given back some strength to him.

- "Shhh, don't say anything, I'm here, you'll be alright"

Cameramen approached, avid to see what seemed to be a true goddess in a state of weakness.

- "Go away!!" roared Jean "Clear off!"

The woman who had spoken to her took care of the situation and forced them to move back by insulting them for wanting to film such a thing.

Jean looked at the width of the wound, she didn't have to be expert to know that it was serious. She compressed it with a hand before calling for help:

- "HAAAANNKKK!!!" screamed Jean by seeing him afar "That'll do Scott, you'll be healed" she said to him, tears in her eyes by kissing him delicately on his forehead.

- "I... love… you... Jean..."

Hank arrived.

- "Oh my god!" he expressed by seeing the quantity of blood in which Scott was bathing "Jean, you can remove your hand" he asked for examining him

Other mutants had joined him and gasped in terror. Jean did what he had asked and took Scott's one in hers.

- "I love you too, hold on sweetheart, I beg you"

She cast a glance at Hank who slowly shook his head in order to let her understand that he couldn't do anything. A feeling of terror wormed its way through her body like an iced wave.

- "No, no, no, no" repeated Jean "Scott, you must pull through, do you hear me? I can't live without you, don't dare to die in my arms, I beg you"

- "... I... will... al... ways... be... wi…th... y... ou... " he articulated in an hardly audible voice, the half shut eyes before closing them as all his muscles relaxed.

He wasn't breathing anymore.

- "No Scott!!!!!!" screamed Jean with despair "Scott wake up, I beg you, wake up Scott!! No, don't leave me!!! Don't leave me!!"

She ended up breaking down on him.

The cameramen who had carried on filming in the distance didn't look in their visor anymore. All the people who had come closer to see what was happening were under the shock about what had just happened and the distress of the young mutant.

The X-Men present and even some of their enemies were in shock. Logan tried to comfort Jean, but she pushed him back, clinging to Scott's body as to a life buoy. She had laid her head on his chest, from where she almost didn't hear anymore palpitations. Her face in the blood of his wound, she was crying, she was crying…

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	25. Chapter 25

The X-Men present and even some of their enemies were in shock. Logan tried to comfort Jean, but she pushed him back, clinging to Scott's body as to a life buoy. She had laid her head on his chest, from where she almost didn't hear anymore palpitations. Her face in the blood of his wound, she was crying, she was crying…

Suddenly, flames started again to emanate from her body and, as Jean wasn't realizing anything, Scott's wound started to heal. She was in such a state that she didn't realize that he had started again to breathe

- "Blimey" marvelled Hank

He took Scott's pulse:

- "It's reinforcing and stabilizing!"

The voices which were so far away until then, reached Jean's mind. She opened her eyes and saw by herself the miracle. She didn't understand. She passed her hand where Scott had been mortally touched: there wasn't anything anymore apart from the blood he had lost.

- "The Phoenix's tears" Beast realized

- "Ya explain us?" asked Logan.

- "In the mythology, the Phoenix's tears, those coming right from the heart, have an enormous capacity of healing"

Jean was too shocked for following the conversation, the flames surrounding her had vanished again. She was covered with Scott's blood and passed her hands on his face for encouraging him to wake up.

- "Scott?" she was begging.

- "Jean...?" he ended to weakly answer

- "Oh my god, you're alive!" she exclaimed, in tears

- "You saved my life... " he said by opening his eyes.

- "I believed I had lost you, I believed I had lost you forever, I love you so much, so much" she cried against him.

She was shaking, he didn't know how to settle her down, apart from laying kisses on her face and hugging her.

- "Everything's alright, I'm here"

Hank intervened

- "How do you feel Scott?"

- "Weak, but alive, the pain has disappeared..."

- "For a dyin' person, ya seem well" smiled Logan.

- "It's a true miracle" said Beast "Jean cured the wound but you need a transfusion, you lost a lot of blood "

- "I've the same blood group as his" Jean reached to articulate

- "Well, we'll begin the transfusion as soon as we'll be back" he said before asking at Scott "can you get up?"

- "I think so…"

Logan offered him a hand for hoisting him on his legs. Scott wavered and took support on he and Jean who didn't leave him for a moment still under the shock

- "We better not trail, the soldiers'll turn up now that the storm passed"

Kitty destroyed the recordings of the cameramen even though they were in live. Cyclops realized the extent of the damages. Cars and buildings were in fire, pane of glass and shop windows were broken. The streets weren't looking to anything anymore, debris were covering the holed, battered and fissured ground. Other vehicles had been reduced to a state of pancakes and the street lamps were laid on the ground. Here and there, short-circuits were producing some sparks:

- "Oh my god... not the best way of being discovered, we'll be blamed for that"

- "It's Magneto who had organized everything, Phoenix has settled this story" said Hank

- "You have…?" asked Scott to Jean who hadn't said one word anymore, she was shocked.

- "No, she just knocked him out in order to let him in the hands of the justice with Pietro" answered Logan

Jean's eyes ignited, she was going to take care of the damages, without damages, no reproaches it would be something in least against them. At the beginning, the fire seemed to simply vanish. Then, without apparent effort, all the streets, all the buildings, all the cars regained their origin state under the amazed eyes of everyone, all quickly understood who had made this miracle. Jean took care of all the zones with a simple glance, simply by positioning back all the molecules. Then her eyes turned back to normal.

- "Wow" said Logan "Ya'd take good care of the Institute household" he tried to joke but he didn't even make Jean smile.

The mother of the little girl approached:

- "Thank you infinitely for having saved my daughter's life. Whoever you are, I'll be eternally grateful" she said by shaking Scott's bloody hand without any repulsion.

- "I'm glad that she's safe" he answered.

- "Let's go" said Hank "you need care".

They joined the other mutants who panicked by seeing Jean and Scott covered with blood.

- "My god what is all this blood?" asked Ororo

- "Scott you've a head of unearthed" pointed out Tabitha

Jean shivered and Scott tightened her a little more against him, kissing her on her bloody forehead

- "Ya can't better say" declared Logan who was still supporting him

- "Scott was mortally wounded, Jean saved him thanks to the Phoenix's tears" summarized Beast "a true miracle"

- "My God" repeated Ororo

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The citizen's reactions, coming out of their hiding-places, were parted. Those having seen only the demonstration of powers and the destructions looked at them with fear and disgust. A glance that Jean knew, her mother having had the same one for her. But those who had seen the Phoenix settling the problems so easily, the drama of Scott's shortened death and the repairing of the city, seemed more fascinated than another thing.

Members of the S.H.I.E.L.D, who had just arrived, had seized Magneto and his son. Wolverine communicated to them the instructions that Phoenix had given for Magneto's detention but also the name of the person responsible of the creation of the sentinels. Nick Fury promised to hold account of it and, after having ensured himself that the two prisoners would remain unconscious during a few hours, set out again with his men.

- "Let's go" said Logan while returning towards the group.

All embarked in the X-Jet and the X-Copter, X-Men, as Brotherhood, or Acolytes (put aside sabre-tooth who had yet slipped by). They were all in the same boat after all.

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A few minutes later they were at the Institute. The casualties, for the majority without gravity, were dealt by Ororo, the Professor and Hank while the valid people were free to leave. The majority of the Brotherhood and the Acolytes had already done it. But Wanda, Peter and Remy, although on their feet, remained to help.

Hank set up the transfusion for Scott who was lengthened on one of the beds with Jean against him. She still hadn't said a word since he was back on his feet, she wore a vague glance and tears were still running out, diluting the dried blood covering her cheeks. She was far from the Phoenix sleeping in her.

- "Hey Jean, it's finished" said nicely Beast by passing a finger on one of her cheeks "You saved him, you saved everyone, everything is alright"

He gave a damp tissue to Scott in order to wash their faces; they would have a shower and get changed later. The bond Jean shared with Scott was wide open and he didn't cease to see the same scene again and again, the one of his death.

- "Jean..." he tried.

She didn't answer.

- "She's in a state of shock, no wonder after what happened" said Hank "I can't give her any tranquillizer, or it'll pass in your blood and you don't need that. As soon as the transfusion is finished I'll give her some and, after a good hour of sleep, she'll be better" he reassured him

Scott agreed as Hank started the transfusion.

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Beast turned over towards the other adults:

"My god" said the Professor "If Scott had died, the universe wouldn't be the same anymore Jean would have lost any control and would have been eaten from inside by the anger and the desire of revenge"

"Yes I thought about it" approved Logan "Fortunately, he's alive"

"He'll pull trough?" asked Ororo

"Yes, of course he'll, Jean healed him completely. A transfusion, two days of total rest and he'll be alright" answered Hank "In fact here it's Jean who's worrying me the most, she's in a state of shock, I think she has had the fright of her life"

"And there is also the fact that it's the first time Phoenix made such demonstrations of powers, she must have struggle all the time for keeping a kind of control for not letting the things getting too far" declared Charles.

"Yes, but she'll be ok, she's strong our Jeannie" said Logan

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Valid students went in a common room once their wounds patched up, and switched on the TV:

_"... beings with extraordinary powers had fought these machines... "_

"It's objective" pointed out Tabitha before zapping

**Zap **

_"... who are they? From where are they coming from? We'll do everything for discovering who those individuals are..._ "

"It only misses X-Files generic…"

**Zap**

_"... If they are humans, can we trust them...?"_

"No, as soon as you'll turn you back we'll liquidate you" scoffed Bobby

**Zap**

_"... Come from nowhere these machines seemed to only attack these beings…"_

"Ah you've also noticed it?" asked Evan

**Zap**

_"... extraterrestrial? of course!"_

"Yes right" scoffed Rogue

"ET calls home" imitated Jamie

**Zap**

_"... What do they want? Since how long do they live among us?"_

"Since as long than you, cretin of the islands" said Amara

**Zap**

_"Are we on the point of being invaded?"_

"By the stupidity?, like, without any doubt" commented Kitty

**Zap**

_"... refuse to make comments concerning the rumours surrounding the Xavier Institute where several identified individuals live: Evan Daniel, Kitty Pride, students of Bayville. This being which seems to hold quasi cosmic powers is no other than Jean Grey, world champion of Ice-dancing; her partner, Scott Summers has also been identified... "_

"Brilliant" Evan commented by seeing his photograph before Tabitha zapped again

**Zap**

"... the majority of the mutants seems to be normal people, beside of their powers…"

"Yes just a detail" said Amara

"They found the word '_mutant'_ on this channel, it's progressing" pointed out Rahne.

"It's true"

**Zap**

_"Everyone mistrusts everyone... "_

"That's not new" commented Bobby

**Zap**

_"... It's the mob through the whole world, everybody knows that these mutants don't live only in the USA, in fact here at the Xavier Institute... "_

"That can seem idiot, but I had never thought about it" said Kurt

**Zap**

_"... We ask for a registration of these... "_

"Change of chain" said Evan

**Zap **

_"... Who says that the government isn't manipulated by one of them...?"_

"Better and better" said Tabitha

**Zap **

"_The word ' mutants' had been pronounced, they would be, according to geneticists the future of the human evolution... "_

"Not so idiot finally" pointed out Rahne

_"Yes but all weren't like each other, this beast and this blue imp can they be considered as human?"_

"Hey!" the Elf complained

"_We give back the word to Rick, our correspondent, on the spot"_

_"Here all is become calm again since the quasi mystical appearance of a firebird, true Phoenix who made incredible demonstrations of power by stopping these machines but also two mutants responsible of the confrontation. She also saved one of them who was dying after having avoided the death to a little girl as you see it on the screen." _

"Oh my god" said several students when they saw the images of Scott's '_death'_

"They weren't joking went they said that he had been deadly hurt" realized Tabitha.

"…_grateful said her mother to us. Then, this mutant has put back the city in its original state, as if nothing had happened" said Rick "This Phoenix is in fact a mutant of human appearance who isn't unknown and, if I dared, I would qualify her powers of divine"_

_"Indeed, blimey, it's Jean Grey, world champion of Ice-dancing and the one she saved is Scott Summers her partner!"_

"BUZZ, already said" said Bobby.

The man who had so coldly spoken about Hank and Kurt took again the word:

_"As by chance two young people who won everything in their sporting discipline are mutants, they're cheating, it's obvious. They are a danger, a threat, they endanger our genetic inheritance and the balance of the forces"_

"BBBBOOUUUUUHHH!!!" made the students

"_How would they endanger our genetic inheritance if they are the future of it?"_ pointed out another speaker.

"Definitely I like that one" said Amara

It was the same during all the day, a crowd had even taken shape at the Institute gates where citizens were chanting anti-mutants slogans.

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In the end of the afternoon, even though Scott was still weak, he and Jean returned to their bedroom. After two hours of sleep the young woman had left her dumbness.

They left their bloodied clothes, and both entered into the shower. The warm water ran out on their skin, cleaning the most part of the blood traces.

"Are you better now?" he asked

"A Little…" answered Jean "I... it was a waked up nightmare, my worst nightmare..." she choked in a sob.

"Hey, that won't happen again, it's over, tell yourself that it was only a nightmare"

She shook her head

"It was real Scott, I can't forget it like that" she said "if I hadn't had Phoenix's powers, you would be died at this hour…"

He tightened her against him, she needed comfort, and she needed to find back her reference marks. He knew that if the situation had been reversed he'd been in the same state. In fact he had a little been like it with Phoenix's appearance, but that was different, there he should really have died and in a rather violent way, covered of blood.

He caught the shampoo and applied some on Jean's hair.

"Everything will change now, won't it?" she asked, letting him washing her hair.

She felt exhausted despite her two hours of sleep. Controlling Phoenix's ardour, enduring this trial of believing Scott dead during a few minutes and giving him some of her blood had tired her. She let her go against his chest.

"Surely yes" he answered by massing her head "now, it remains to know in which direction"

"Human ones will never accept us: we are different, they destroy and fear all which is different since the dawn of times" she said

"You reduced the damage to nothing, without what I think that the worst would be to envisage" he said, by attracting her back under the shower for rinsing her hair "Here, it's already better like that" he said by laying a kiss on her face

"Do you think they will prohibit certain functions to us? The access to schools etc?"

"I don't know"

"When we see what happened with the Jews and all the other minority ethnos groups during the centuries, I acknowledge that I'm pessimistic…"

Scott briefly kissed her.

"Don't be,, let's see before judging"

Jean used her telekinesis for washing Scott's hair and soaping their bodies for releasing them from the remainders of sweat and blood.

"Do you imagine if they call into question all these years of training and work?" he asked "If they withdraw our medals and prevent us from taking part in competitions because we are mutants?"

"No, I didn't think yet about it" she answered "I believe that, before all, I must recover from this day"

She closed her eyes and sighed slowly, letting the warm shower release her muscles and tightening herself against Scott as the water was finishing rinsing the foam:

"I love you more than my own life, I wouldn't have survived you in normal circumstances" she started "Because, the worst is that, with the Phoenix, I don't even know if I'd have succeeded in killing me" she said with a slight laugh

"You don't have to think about it anymore" he answered by looking her in the eyes.

He didn't sermonize her on the fact that she was to live, no he knew that him either wouldn't survive to her, so reproaching to her such thoughts would be the last straw.

"Scott?"

"Hum?"

"Make love to me please" she said "I need to erase of my head these images of you... dead... I need you…"

He felt through their bond at which point that was haunting her. But this direct request surprised him, it was the first time that the things happened like it, usually nothing was premeditated between them. But never mind, he kissed Jean by turning off the water before taking her in his arms for joining their bed.

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The evening the X-Men gathered in a common room with their three new recruits: Remy, Peter and Wanda who had decided to stay at the Institute. When Scott and Jean arrived, Logan made a discreet comment about the fact that Scott was supposed to rest, but didn't linger on it. Anton, who had come to join them (well Kurt had to teleport him from the crowd to the building) tightened his student in his arms. He had seen what had happened and had feared the worst.

They were watching the news for knowing their fate, when:

_"We must stop our programs for an intervention of the President of the United States"_ (the one of the movie, certainly not the current President about who I'd abstain from comments it's better...)

_"My dear fellow-citizens I address to you this evening as the majority of the heads of states of the world" _he started _"Today, which was only seen into the comic strips, and the movies, which seemed incredible for the majority of you happened: mutants exist and you must know that the government knew it for more than ten years"_

"What??" made several voices

"Hush" grumbled Logan

_"Yes, since ten years we supervise them, we study their DNA which has indeed revealed that they were more advanced humans. We made what we could for keeping them hidden for their own safety above all, but the events exceeded us. These robots, these 'sentinels', had been designed by a group also knowing the mutants existence and which has escaped to our control. Doctor Trask, his leader, and his soldiers had been judged and placed in jail for theirs acts qualified of racists considering that they were aiming a pure and simple genocide. As for the mutant who caused this confrontation, he was also stopped thanks to the intervention of one X-Men, one of the mutants living at the Xavier Institute which collects and helps the people carrying the gene X to control their power" _he said_ "The students living at the Xavier Institute are particularly pacifist and are trained for using their powers for the good. So I asked to the people manifesting in front of the gates of this Institute to stop immediately and to go back to their home. The X-Men have, at several times, saved the life of citizens without being noticed and perhaps they have even saved yours or the one of someone you care about. The moment came for you to show spirit of cohesion. Cease to set the ones against the others; you shouldn't judge the mutants on their powers or their appearances. You must learn how to be tolerant and to accept the difference. Any discrimination or violence made against mutants will be punished in the same way that if it had been directed towards a human"_ he finished _"I can now answer your questions "_

_"Mr. President! Mr. President!!" made several voices_

He indicated someone.

_"Mr. President, why having let mutants reach significant posts or sporting competitions? Cheating must be easy for them. If we take the example of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, I doubt that they deserve their titles We saw Miss Grey's powerfulness, she must, between other, possess the power of telepathy for having extirpated information from the mutant responsible of the confrontation"_

_"Mr Reynold, why prohibiting posts to mutants? They have the same rights than any other human"_ began the President _"Then, think well that all was done for supervising the use of the powers. Indeed detectors are placed throughout the world to monitor any election, congress, school examination, sporting competitions, lawsuit etc, there is even some of them here .If a mutant uses his/her powers he/she is immediately located and disqualified, banished or judged for cheating, attempt of corruption or other. For the two mutants to whom you've made a reference Mr Reynold, they don't make exception, all the competitions were supervised, they never used their powers. Miss Grey has even henceforth an increased monitoring for the phenomenal power she's developed. In conclusion, no title, no judgement, no result of examination and no election implying mutants will be doubted. Think that the doping sportsmen, them, pass sometimes apart from the nets, not the mutants because their powers prevent them from doping themselves without it being immediately noticed So I repeat it: no discrimination will be tolerated and I await for sporting or legal judges, professors and other people having a role to play in the life of others, a great neutrality."_

_"Then they will remain in liberty?"_ asked a Chinese journalist

_"Miss Chin, of course they will remain in liberty and that in the whole world. It's necessary that you understand that rejecting them, it's rejecting your own future because they represent it. Your children or little children have great chances to carry this gene X responsible of the mutation; wouldn't you like them to grow in a free world?"_

"_Of course, thank you Mr. President"_

_"Someone else?"_

He indicated another journalist.

_"But they're true wars machines, they precisely represent a threat for our children!"_

_"Mr Blint, the billion human beings of the planet cohabit with the small thousand of mutants since tens of years, the fact that the world is henceforth conscious of their existence won't change anything. All they want is tolerance, those who preached the superiority of the mutants changed of camps since the betrayal of their mentor or are too much dispersed for representing a threat. No more question"_

Logan switched off the TV.

The students were under the shock, so they were under monitoring for ten years? Their glance was posed on the professors who didn't seem so astonished. It was Jean who declared more than she asked Professor Xavier. She was much more powerful than him and perceiving or analyzing thoughts or behaviours was easy for her.

"You knew it"

Charles knew that it was useless to lie.

"Yes, I knew" he admitted "I have some account to make with the government by keeping them informed in exchange of their silence and of their collaboration in the event of trouble caused by a lose of powers"

"But why didn't you tell us?" asked Tabitha

"For a simple reason: prudence" answered Logan showing in the same time; that he was also aware "Ya tended already sometimes to let ya go, when ya knew that ya had to remain discrete. If we had told ya that the government knew our existence, ya would have less controlled yerself and don't tell me the contrary"

"How do they supervise us?" asked Scott

"For you and Jean and any other sportsman, in addition to the sensors being in the strategic public buildings and working during competitions, there are the famous bracelets which they make pass for master keys. Since the Phoenix appeared, they had to make modifications or they would have lost all their equipment in case of use of powers" answered Charles " So Jean, you've sensors less sensitive but specifically targeted to supervise you"

They discussed like that during long hours before going to bed for recovering from this day particularly exhausting.

Review please!


	26. Chapter 26

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For Scott and Jean who, at one month from the world championships, didn't go anymore to school but followed correspondence courses, the fact of being suddenly revealed was felt only through the newspapers and the websites. It was mitigated, their fans seemed to remain faithful to them in the majority, had told them Kitty. But they were rather sceptics as for the fair plays of the next competition and that despite the presidential orders. In fact for Jean in particular, it was what had happened which haunted her, she made many nightmares where she didn't save Scott and lose control of Phoenix and he had to comfort her often before these bad dreams disappeared.

For the other Institute members, it was martyrdom. Even though many professors and students respected the requests officially, semi-officially it was something else. There were those who looked at them as if they were rats, those who feared them, those who seemed to respect them and those who were fascinated by them.

Duncan's band and the Brotherhood (the ones who hadn't remained at the Institute and had kept this taste to put the disorder) had well tried to waste one evening devoted on the tolerance, but the simple arrival of Jean who had felt their presence and had come to make sure that they would remain quiet made them incline. No need of demonstration, they knew with who they dealt.

"Band of cowards, she's alone!" Duncan had exclaimed

"Perhaps, but she's more powerful than all the mutants of the planet joined together, and maybe even more, we're not insane!" had retorted Toad before setting out again with a jump.

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One week before the world championship, Ororo accompanied Anton, Scott and Jean to Paris with the X-Copter so that they could carry on to train and especially adapt themselves to the skating rink and take their marks on this one. Of course, the two young mutants could have piloted it, but Charles had preferred not to put this responsibility on them so that they could concentrate on their programs.

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The day of the first trial, the other students were going to join them. It was a week of class, but for supporting their friends for this first championship ' _undercover'_ everyone left for Paris. They were first of all going to make a turning to Montreal for embarking Jean's family...

**John Grey's house, 6.10 p.m**

Jean's father lived in a particularly isolated house which was perfect for fetching them.

"We'll never be at Paris at time by leaving only now!" said Paul, Sarah's fiancé who was going to be part of the voyage.

He had rather well accepted the mutants; he was open-mind.

"We'll darling, they've between other a rather particularly remarkable jet, I never saw it but it'd join Bayville/Paris in only one hour" said Sarah

"The Concorde took 3h26! That would mean that they... not it's not possible, they would reach Mach5?"

"Yes it's, exceptional isn't it?"

A yawn made itself hear.

"Do they arrive soon mom?"

"Yes Annabelle" answered another woman, Jessica, John' sister

It wasn't the motors noise which informed them of the X-Jet arrival, but the blow of the engines for the vertical landing. Once the cloud of dust dissipated, the Blackbird appeared in all its splendour.

"Wow, we'll take this plane?" exclaimed Annabelle

A footbridge opened, and the Professor went down in his wheelchair:

"Good evening, are you ready?"

"Good evening Charles" said John by shaking his hand before answering "yes we can leave"

"Well, we'll find, Scott and Jean in Paris. Hey Annabelle you've grown a lot"

"She doesn't dry up of praise on her cousin and even more since she saw her on TV with the sentinels story"

A voice inveighed them:

"Hey, I wouldn't like to hustle ya but we should leave" grumbled Wolverine.

They all took their bags and went up in the X-Jet, their eyes filled up with curiosity. Charles made rapids presentations for Jessica and Paul, but also for Annabelle, Sarah and John who didn't know the new recruits, and invited them to sit down.

"Does the government know also for this plane?" asked Paul, admiring

"The government yes, but not for a long time because it's equipped with a furtive system without faults" answered the Professor "the civilians, them, are unaware of its existence"

"The militaries would sell their own soul for havin' it between their hands" said Logan by starting the engines "But they won't have it"

The plane shook, went up vertically on a hundred meters, before leaving ahead, passing several times the sound wall until Mach 5.

"Jean's really able to pilot that?" asked Sarah, suddenly sceptic.

"What, the X-Jet? Yes since nearly two years now" Logan answered

"Blimey... "

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The hour passed quickly, the X-Jet had slowed down for twenty minutes and was arriving in sight of Paris.

"Chuck?" asked Logan

The Professor placed his hands on his temples.

"She's in place as scheduled" he answered

In front of the interrogative glances of the guests, Hank, who was wearing his image inducer, declared:

"We can't land in a park without drawing attention; So Jean is waiting for us there for taking care that nobody notices our landing"

"How?" asked Jessica

"By telepathy. She'll feel any person seeing us and will do the necessary so that she or he doesn't see anything strange. Of course the X-Jet remains in furtive mode for the radars but not from sight, so, once posed, Kitty will phase it in the ground when we'd have left"

"Yes like that nobody sees it and the soldiers can always scrape themselves to try to study it" said Wolverine

"Logan" the Professor nicely reprimanded him

They arrived above of the park and saw four people right below: Anton, Ororo, Scott and Jean. The walkers, indeed, didn't seem to notice anything.

Once posed, the passengers started to go down, nothing did press, it was 7.10 p.m, Scott and Jean passed at 9p.m. For the young woman, keeping a part of her mind for controlling the walkers while welcoming her family wasn't a problem.

The reunion was warm, they had often spoken to each other by phone, but it was good to see each other again.

"Aunt Jessica!" said Jean by embracing her "That made such a long time!"

"I wasn't going to miss the championship of my niece" she answered by hugging her back before shaking Scott's hand

"Paul, come here so that I can introduce you to my little sister" called Sarah

Jean smiled to the fair man who approached.

"So here is my future brother-in-law"

"And here is the powerful Phoenix" he smiled by shaking her hand

"I'm delighted to meet you finally and to know that you're so tolerant"

"Shared pleasure" he said before turning his head "Scott I suppose?"

"That's right, glad to meet you"

They shook each other hand. The Professor noticed Anton's tired eyes.

"Hey Anton, you seem to be exhausted"

"Don't talk to me about that, those two came for three mornings to wake me at four a.m with an alarm clock…." He said

The other laughed

"Like in the movie _'Rasta Rocket'?"_ asked Tabitha

"Exactly" answered Ororo "But I don't think they have ever seen this movie"

"Did they take a picture?" asked Kurt

"Yes"

"Splendid!" eclaimed Tabitha

Behind them, Kitty was phasing the X-Jet which the attention of the family, that didn't happen everyday. The plane was only buried until the fuselage when:

"Jean, can I have a little help please? I'm saturating, it's stone" said Kitty

"I take care of it, move back" she answered.

Her eyes ignited and the X-Jet seemed like going down quietly as in quicksand. Then, once disappeared under the surface, the ground regained its normal texture.

"Modifications of molecules" indicated Ororo "Impressive I know, but her powers don't have known limit"

Jean's eyes regained their normal colour.

"You'll remember where you parked?" Scott asked Logan

"Very spiritual Cyke" answered Wolverine "And ya by the way?"

"Just beside"

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They took their belongings and walked a hundred meters for joining their hotel where they had held seven rooms since months: five with two superposed beds in each one and two with a double bed for the two couples: Scott and Jean, and Paul and Sarah. The repartition had been made so that at least a responsible, adult or not, would be in each room.

Scott, Jean and Anton didn't stay long. They went to take their bags containing all that they needed and left for the skating rink.

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The others dined at the hotel before leaving at their turn for attending to the ice-dancing short programs. At the entry, some people with anti-mutants signs had just been arrested.

Like any high level championship, the comments were given in the local language and in English, the spectators had auricles at their disposal to hear them. The group of twenty-two people went to settle in the cabins right at the edge of the skating rink.

Scott and Jean passed first of the second group which had the advantage to have a freshly re-surfaced ice.

_"Here are Scott Summers and Jean Grey, the American couple world champions in title, doubles national champions, both eighteen years old. They have the disadvantage to be the only known mutants of the competition"_ began a commentator

_"Yes but the regulation is clear and no discrimination must be made. The detectors of the government had always perfectly functioned and many skaters disqualified due to doping had perhaps been because of powers utilisation"_

_"Yes perfectly, but those are unknown"_

_"With the system of notation in place since more than one year, and that although it's really indisputable only for the technical note, scamping is much more difficult than before"_

_"Let's hope for it because these two young people are surely not the only mutants of the disciplines of figure skating"_

Scott and Jean entered on the rink by greeting the public which one was divided between those who were applauding and had made streamers for encouraging them, and those who where hooting or launching some choked '_Cheater'_ or_ 'freaks'_ . Jean's costume was at the origin made by a two pieces swimsuit sewn on the combination in clothes-fitting and on which part of fire colour tissues had been added. Scott wore a black combinaison.

_"Let's see their program which, I can say for having seen it in repetition, is very sparkling"_

_"Yes I've also seen them, their youth brings a lot to the theme of this imposed dance which is the samba and the rumba" _said the woman

_"Youth, and beauty, this American lady is very beautiful, they form a pretty couple" _

_"Oh but, we women are not in remainder; following an operation, Scott Summers doesn't need anymore to wear his glasses and he has very beautiful eyes" _laughed the female commenter.

_"Here they're in place, samba: 'Black Machine' and Rumba 'Feeling the passion' "_

The music began

_"And they start with a samba, with a very technical step work"_ said the commentator

"_The public is already applauding in rhythm"_

_"And here is the rumba passage, it's very slipped, very artistic and very expressive, as usual"_

_"Yes beautiful attitudes and very beautiful spins"_

_"Another transition really close to the ice, this is daring" _commented on the man

_"And wow here again the samba, these two young people have really energy to resell, the public encourages them, that whistles, that applauds, it's superb"_

_"Yes they seem to have fun, they take pleasure to skate and this is very communicative. What a synchronisation's work!"_

_"They'll melt the ice"_ laughed the woman

The program took end **(Video)**

_"It was very technical"_ summarized the woman

"_Yes high level ice-skating, worthy of theirs titles, and a lot of cold blood and control for presenting it to us without faults despite the last events"_

_"It is difficult to remember that these two young people have phenomenal powers when we saw them dancing like this"_

_"We wait for the marks"_ said the commentator

_"Yes, and they are taking their time to come, it seems to have dissensions, the bailiff will slice by indicating if there were or not use of powers"_

Scott and Jean, blown, were anxious, were they going to be scamp?

The marks arrived, they found themselves placed third at the provisional general classification which wasn't really good at this time of the competition. As a matter of fact two other groups of skaters had yet to pass. But is the judge kept their use and didn't dig more the gap of points they wouldn't have to many in less than their competitors.

"I had well said that the law would be applied" the Professor told them.

"Yes but that's still limit" answered Scott

"They must have been scamped but the technical note had sliced" declared Anton "Good work the children"

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The group joined them, they weren't going to watch the other pass, those who wished to would watch it at the hotel with a slight differed.

"Hey Jean, it was very sensual your passage on the rumba" Sarah told her sister as they were going back to the hotel after the couple had made a rapid declaration to the journalists.

"It's the dance which wants that"

"Tell that to the marines, I think that the feelings have their role to play, it was very strong, you melted the ice"

Jean smiled by shaking her head of enjoyment. All she wanted was a good shower and a good night of sleep, tomorrow it would be the free program, the most significant.

The young woman was already sleeping when Scott left the shower and slipped under the covers. He laid a kiss on her hair and fell asleep at his turn.

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The next day passed very quickly and, without realizing it, they were on the rink. Jean wore a dress a little similar to the program of the previous year one, but of a gold colour with flounces at her arms. Scott was wearing black with a long collar Beethoven's time. Indeed their program was relating Beethoven's last night before he realized that he was becoming deaf, he remembered all the marvellous moments of his life, his love for his wife whom Jean was incarnating, his compositions, before starting to lose hearing.

"Scott Summers and Jean Grey, Americans" announced the loudspeakers

The couple set up themselves and the music began:

_"The music: 'Beethoven's last night'"_ said the woman

_"It's very aesthetic, there is an enormous work of interpretation... ah a jump of Scott, which is rare in this discipline, but point out that he had been national champion of figure skating"_

_"Yes and that was an original jump"_

"_Fast Passage"_

_"Very beautiful slipped on one knee, attitudes on ice taken at full speed, it's really superb"_

"_Wonderful balance move for their famous reversed lift"_

_"It's flowing, it's light, it's very expressive, very well interpreted"_

"_What I really respect about Scott it's that he invests himself totally in the choreography, which is rare with the other ice-dancers" _commented the woman

_"Here the circular step work, nothing to critic"_

_"And a difficult and original final"_

The public applauded **(Vidéo)**

_"It was very powerful"_

_"Last year they won everything: the national for the second time and the world championship"_ said the woman

_"Their program free on 'Carmina Burana' was one of the greatest moments of the discipline"_

_"They're very organized, the always present to us inedit programs. They are only eighteen years old, but what good skaters they are!"_

"_Yes, they're fighters and they've again proved it to us this evening"_

_"We're waiting for the marks while charming small skater girls are collecting flowers and cuddly toys sent on the ice"_

Scott and Jean left the skating rink.

"It was perfect the children, bravo" said Anton before accompanying them to the platform for the marks.

Those were posted and, before they could hear them, they knew that they were good because the public was applauding.

_"They are placed first and with scope" _said the woman

"_Yes it's deserved and they have such an advance of point that we can say right now that they are untouchable"_

_"Nevertheless, there remain two couples"_

Scott and Jean drank a little water and slipped on their wind-breakers. They knew that they were on the podium but they didn't know yet their place.

On the ice the couple before the last, Russians, passed. They were less good technically and there were even two moments of hesitation.

"_According to me, they can say goodbye to the podium" _pointed out the woman

"_Yes there was two mistakes and they weren't at all into the music"_

However the marks were astonishment high which made hoot the public. They were placed first.

"_Ah no, it's impossible"_

"_Some 8 into the components, it's unbelievable, they won't…"_said the commentator, suspicious

"_They will, they are placed first"_

"What?" said Anton "It's not possible, it's a shame! What kind of judges are they??"

The public whistled and hoot all the more

"_Here, really, I don't understand, they are really far from the level of the couple American" said the commentator, indignant_

"_The public and the trainer of these last ones seem to be of the same advice"_

The Russian were smiling, when...

_"Something's happening apparently" said the commentator._

_"Yes the bailiff is taking the micro"_

"The couple Smilkoff and Brosky is disqualified for use of powers for trying to corrupt the judges" said a voice by loudspeaker.

The advertisement was retransmitted in English.

"I can't believe it" said Jean.

"They cheated and they were proud" added a perplexed Scott

But, henceforth, the Russian couple had lost its smile and cursed against these damned detectors before being evacuated under the howls of the crowd.

_"We have just had a proof of the efficacy of these famous detectors" _said the commentator

_"Yes, fortunately that they are there, and that for eight years, without what they could have cheated for a long time"_

_"Even the only two mutants who were known seemed perplexed in front of such an attitude"_

_"They've never used theirs, not even for their reversed lift, we have the proof of it. Ah here is the last couple" _announced the woman as the French were welcoming their representatives in a thunder of applause.

The last couple passed. They were original and very gifted, to supervise closely. They did a program without faults and took the second place. Moreover, thanks to the disqualification of a couple, those who were fourth found themselves on the podium for their greater pleasure, because the fourth place was regarded as the worst.

But the most important for the group of mutants was that Scott and Jean, despite the current circumstances, had just won their second world championship. They couldn't believe it, and the medal ceremony seemed to proceed in the fog.

They were officially qualified for the Olympics Games championships and had to answer many interviews before succeeding in eclipsing in the cloakrooms to change and join the group.

This evening it was the festival. Everybody was congratulating them, the pressure had fallen down, tomorrow would come the exhibition. It was the advantage of practising the discipline which was most of the time medal-holder in last. Some drank a little, as Anton who made several toasts with vodka but nobody ended drunk.

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The following day they were presenting their exhibition program on _'time to say goodbye' _by Sarah Brigthman and Andrea Bocelli. Scott was wearing his short-program costume, and Jean a combination gilded but not aggressive or tawdry.

There were yet people whistling as they were setting up. Scott lengthened on the ice, his knees folded up. The music began, and Jean positioned herself on top of him, knees against knees, hands in the hands, supporting themselves at the force of their arms before she leaned to kiss him, that they changed of position and that Scott made a candle in balance on one of Jean's knee.

_"Wow" said the commentator _

_"They are original, that's the least we can say"_

Scott made slip Jean on her back on several meters before raising her

_"Exhibitions are the moments where everything is allowed, for our greatest pleasure" _

It was a program very in contact with the ice thanks to slips and excessively close (here I would like to say "fusional" but there isn't translation in English) and news lifts.

_"Grey and Summers have the grace, the interpretation and the passion with them, which made of them dangerous competitors for the Olympic Games" _said the commentator

_"What people like about them is, between other, their speed of skating, and it's true that they go very quickly even in exhibition" _

"_I dunno if it was wanted, but when we know who is Jean Grey, I mean, her mutation which represent a firebird with immense powers, this contact with the ice is creating a thrilling contrast"_

"_Yes, this and her side really submitted in this programme" _approved the woman

The program finished again on the ice and they had even a recall for a part of their free program.

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After having changed, having embarked flowers and cuddly toys and having remake appear the X-Jet and the X Copter. They were parted themselves for the flight back. John, Sarah and Paul decided to take the X-Copter with Scott, Jean and Ororo even though the flight would be longer.

Once in the airs, when her powers weren't required any more and that she could release some pressure about Phoenix, Jean fell asleep against Scott and he sank himself in a refreshing sleep.

"You haven't came for nothing" said Ororo by piloting

"No it was superb" approved Paul

"And which ambiance, I'm happy that their discovery as mutants hasn't reduced all their work to nothing" declared Sarah

"Yes so do I" approved John as they entered a strong clouds depression.

"They were rather pessimistic on this subject but they nevertheless decided to fight and that paid" said Storm

"One of my daughters is double champion of ice-dancing, the other will get married, I've reason to be proud" said John

The four adults smiled.

"We don't have a good visibility anymore" pointed out Paul

"I was precisely going to settle it"

They didn't see her eyes covering themselves with a white veil, but suddenly the sky was cleared in front of the apparatus.

"Very useful" said John before returning to the subject "Well, I'm glad that Jean is still so happy, I saw what happened with these sentinels"

"Yes I've also seen the state in which Scott was on the television" said Ororo "I was supervising the others when that happened and when I saw him, he was upright, I hadn't realized the gravity of what had happened nor the miracle generated by the Phoenix. I understood it by seeing the state of shock in which was Jean and the images which passed on the news"

"My god, I was turned over to see my sister in this state" remembered Sarah "I couldn't imagine how I could have comforted her"

"We've to admit that until there the Phoenix was a good thing, she allowed to cease the attacks of the sentinels, to stop Magneto, to save Scott's life and to repair the city, without what I think that our acceptance would have been much harder than it had been"

"You still think that she could be a threat?" asked John

"All depends the situation, if a desire of revenge or an immense anger took Jean, the Phoenix could take advantage of it. Phoenix takes the control during the battles, we maintained Jean away by her own will because she had understood it; but there, if she hadn't come, we wouldn't have pulled through and who know what could have happened…" blew Ororor before adding "Jean's really tensed when she has to go out since the Phoenix's apparition, she's afraid that she could lose control so competitions are bringing more stress for her than before even though she doesn't show it"

"I'm nevertheless reassured to know her in good hands" said John

"Yes Scott take very well care of her, he's changed as soon as she arrived at the Institute and it's even more obvious since she has repaired the zone of his brain damaged during the accident which cost his family's life" answered Ororo "He had really been metamorphosed and he has the same effect on Jean, they are well together, they found each other"

"I like him and I trust him" approved John.

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Review !


	27. Chapter 27

In the plane, they were welcomed like kings and travelled in first class. Maybe, they could have taken the X-Jet, but to be lead was much more releasing

Scott had rented a bungalow on the edge of the sea in a small complex. They were quiet during two days, nobody seemed to know that they were mutants or Olympics champions, nobody disturbed them. They took advantage of the sun, the sea and the white sand.

They could find again each other even though they were never well far from one other. There they weren't in an Institute full of teenager for the majority immature, they were just the two of them.

It was out of season, the beaches were for the majority deserted, they could take midnight baths and simply benefit from the moment present.

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The last day, they had settled in a hammock, in the shade of the palm trees

"We did one bit of a walk together, do you realize?" asked Jean, lengthened against Scott, looking at the waves breaking on the coral barrier as the fingers of her lover were grazing her skin.

"Yes, four years ago at the same date we didn't know each other"

"And I was unaware of who I really was" added Jean "Finally I don't regret what happened, if I hadn't met you I couldn't be so happy"

"Idem, those three and a half year and overall these twenty-eight months are the best of my life and it's only the beginning" he smiled "We go back to the sea?"

"Scott, our swimsuits are dry, and we set out again in two hours!" recalled Jean

"Who spoke about swimsuits?" he asked with a teasing smile

She raised her eyebrows

"I'm sure you can manage so that nobody could surprise us, even though the zone is already deserted... " he murmured into her ear, as he was yet using some means of persuasion more physical

"Hmmm, allocate" (or maybe "gone"?) she said

After all, whose woman had never dreamed to make love with the man of her life in a true blue lagoon? In all cases Jean had already dreamed it...

----------------------------------------------

**One month later**

Hundreds of students were bounding around the results of the examinations, and more of the half of them returned from there by swearing, tears in the eyes, or simply crying.

"That's not good" said Scott

"In all way we won't change anything"

"I will see ok? you stay here"

Scott disappeared in the crowd for returning a few minutes later. He didn't let anything show through until he joined her:

"Then? Don't force me to read your mind"

He made her a small sadistic smile before saying to her

"Eh well, it's a real massacre..." he let plane before declaring "…but we are both received, mentions _'very well'_!"

"Oh god!" she said by throwing herself into his arms.

She couldn't believe it, she who had feared that with their way of life these last months and Phoenix's last lobby, she might have not be prepared enough.

----------------------------------------------

At the Institute the reaction was immediate:

"Champagne!" announced the Professor by opening a bottle

"It's the third of the year" pointed out Hank

"World champion for the second time consecutive, Olympics champions at 18 years old and now both graduated " Ororo congratulated them

"Congratulation kids, with all the work ya cumulated and the adventures, ya succeeded in ensurin' yer courses, well done" approved Logan

Everyone clinked glasses, each one having a bottom of champagne or of another thing according to ones tastes and ones age.

"More especially that Duncan, Taryn and a lot of other students missed their examinations" pointed out Rogue

"Don't speak to me about it, with our luck we'll land in their classes next year" deplored Kurt

"They shouldn't show off too much I think" said Wanda

"Yes there Duncan's father's money couldn't obtain a diploma to him, he redoubles and I doubt that it pleased him" approved Tabitha

"The examinations were particularly difficult this year, I read that there were a lot of failures" said Anton

"Yes and very few students can attend to a second chance, the failures are heavy which make me even more proud of your success" Charles congratulated them

"You'll do what now? Following studies?" asked Remy

"No, carrying on the competitions, it would be a pity to stop now even with the Olympics medal"

Anton approved. Peter spoke:

"When will you have your diplomas?"

"The handing-over takes place next week, the day after the annual collective exit" answered Scott

"Ah yes, what is it this year yet?" asked Jubilee

"Opera"

"Brilliant... " scoffed Evan.

----------------------------------------------

The year melted away between competitions, exhibitions and trophies, but also with particular lessons for Scott and Jean in the subjects interesting them. Scott had chosen mathematical and Jean medicine and in particular genetic. It would take them much more time to be able to claim to be ready for passing a diploma, but this method enabled them not to waste time.

The X-Men had had several missions and Jean came with them, not wanting to be left aside since the sentinel' story. Phoenix wasn't taking control anymore during the battle, she and Jean were merging together in a common accord. She had been of a great help when Mystique had helped Magneto to escape his plastic prison. Eric hadn't been too fond to meet Phoenix again, both the entity and Jean having a lot of bad sentiment against him after their last meeting and what he had provoked. Phoenix had again to clean the master of magnetism's mess and to give him back to the authorities with mystique. They would never forget the fire in her eyes and the power emanating within her. When Phoenix and her host were together, this one was increasing tenfold, as Jean wasn't struggling anymore for avoiding any lose of control.

Of course, the firebird had continued her excursion; it was the only moment where Jean hadn't any control. In one hand, it was scaring her, but in the other one she also loved to travel through the universe and to feel this power. So far she had never left more than four days, but there that made six days and time became increasingly heavy, overall for Scott

The young man was sleeping of a light sleep when he was awaked by Jean's return who had almost just collapsed on the bed.

"Hey" he said as a welcome back.

"Hmmm" answered Jean obviously exhausted, she was in sweat.

"Nothing to declare?" asked Scott as he had taken the habit to do, while using a handkerchief for wiping her face. Her skin was hot, but it wasn't unusual in this type of situation, it was a kind of Phoenix's after-effect.

"Hmmm" made Jean in a way which seemed to say no "need... to sleep... and... you..." she articulated half asleep

"I missed you too" he said by taking her in his arms, holding her tight "I missed you terribly"

He tensed one arm for catching a bottle of water

"Jean, wait, you've to drink, stay with me a little more » he said to her by making her almost sit for carrying the water to her lips.

She drank mechanically, completely abandoned in his arms, and coughed at the last gulp she could swallow before falling asleep. Scott laid back with her,

Jean had yet fallen asleep. He laid a kiss on her forehead and stayed awake, stroking her hair. Her temperature had yet slightly begun to fall He was worried, six days must have been draining for Jean, Phoenix didn't seem to realize at which point she was exhausting her when she took control for long periods...

"I beg you Phoenix, don't forget Jean's human, she has limits and needs for food and drink" he murmured "take care to not asking too much of her, take care to not killing her from exhaustion…"

**/Scott?/** asked Charles' voice by telepathy

**/Professor?/** Scott thought strongly enough for his mentor to seize it

**/Jean's back?/ **

**/Yes, she's exhausted, I think that Hank should come to see her, she could hardly pronounce a word/**

**/I send him to you/**

**/Thanks/**

A few minutes later, somebody knocked on the door. Scott rose to go to open it for Hank who had taken care to go to seek his case.

"She came back a long time ago?" he asked

"Ten minutes"

"Something in particular happened during her absence?" he demanded by opening his case

"I don't think so. She almost didn't have the strength to speak, she had just been able to tell that she needed to sleep"

"You made her drink?" asked Beast whereas he was taking the young woman's pulse, a hand on her wrist, the glance riveted on his watch.

Her pulse was regular just like was to his breathing, nothing abnormal on this side.

"As much as I could, but she was very weak, I've never felt her so slackened in my arms" answered Scott, anxious. He had sat down on the edge of the bed, one of Jean's hands into his.

"Hum"

He observed her pupils with a mini lamp and was able to see at which point Jean was deeply sleeping. Then he took her temperature in a few microseconds thanks to an auricular thermometer.

"43.5°c" he said before explaining "I'll check in a few minutes that it's well falling down. The Phoenix's after-heat risks to be more persistent considering the number of days during which she controlled Jean"

He surrounded Jean's arms with a bracelet of tension, and asked Scott while waiting the result:

"You missed her, haven't you?"

"Yeah, terribly" answered Scott his glance on the young woman "Will she be ok?"

"I will make her a blood test and putting her under perfusion, she is exhausted, her tension is weak, and before all, she is very dehydrated, it is what's worrying me the most" answered Hank.

He re-used the thermometer.

"43.3°c" he announced "We will remove her uniform so that the air could circulates better on her skin. The perfusion will feed it and re-hydrate her, but if she wakes up, take care to make her drink ok?"

"Yes of course"

They withdrew Jean's uniform. Then Hank made her a blood test and put her under perfusion. During all these operations, Jean didn't move, she didn't even blink, she was in an almost comatose sleep.

"Well, I leave you the thermometer, you check that her temperature goes down well. If in one hour it hasn't yet pass the bar of the 40°c again, you come to seek me"

Scott agreed. Hank reassured him one last time and left the room.

Jean's temperature dropped correctly and when it had returned to the normal one, Scott made her slip into her pyjamas and took her back against him, under the sheets, letting the sleep taking him at his turn.

The young woman slept three complete days, the fourth only intermittently, drinking and eating what was offered to her before falling asleep again but of a lighter sleep. Scott remained the maximum close to her, nothing did oblige him to do it, excepted the simple desire to not losing her of his sight.

Had phoenix heard the request he had made a few days before? Surely. But had she listened to it? It seemed so, because the next months, she never set out again for so long.

(by reading this part again, I was asking myself if I shouldn't end the fic there, I let you judge)

----------------------------------------------

**End of June**

Rogue, Evan, Kurt and Kitty had reached their examinations, it should be said that the tests had been less difficult following the proportion of the failures of the preceding session. As at the end of each year, the headmaster gathered all the students in the stadium for announcing to them which would be the collective exit of the year:

"So, this year will be particularly exceptional considering that we'll assist to the end year spectacle of the ice-skating club of Bayville. What does that have of particular? It's that two skaters having trained on this skating-ring and studied here will take part in it. Of course, I'm talking about Scott Summers and Jean Grey who, henceforth, are universally famous in the sporting world. That's why I can you say that this exhibition is box office" he announced "However, I have met them a few moths ago and they have courteously agreed to reserve for us a third of the skating rink, so approximately 1670 places, right the necessary"

"It was only missing that, seeing mutants on the lake of swan... " mumbled Duncan

"Brilliant! I couldn't have ticket!" said another student

"The representation will take place Friday evening at 6 p.m, envisage hot clothing. As usual it's the establishment which pays the entries. The handing-over of the diplomas will take place Saturday at 10 a.m

----------------------------------------------

**Evening of the representation**.

Medias were there, the commentators also, the five thousand places were occupied, and streamers in Scott and Jean's name were hanging everywhere. The ice was as smooth as a mirror, the lights projectors ready to take part in the festival. Scott and Jean's trainer was speaking to journalists.

A band of young people in ice-skate were nervous like all to see so much people at their spectacle and to know that Olympics champions were going to come. Some of them knew them a little, cos they had seen them train during on of their lesson, but others had never seen them in reality.

The students of Bayville were gathered on a side of the skating rink. Taryn was with her friends, Duncan with his and his umpteenth girlfriend of the year, the members of the Institute gathered with their true friends, those who hadn't turned their back to them after their discovery.

"Ppppffff who's interested by that?" asked a pal of Duncan.

"Five thousand people and apparently a whole rather enthusiastic group of supporters" said a student by indicating a group raising streamers addressed to Scott and Jean who had just made them heard by catching a glimpse of the skater afar.

"It's really ridiculous" mumbled Duncan

"What? The fact that they have fans?"

"Rick Julian, that's an athlete" he answered by referring to a star of American football

"This Rick Julian?" asked Rogue

"Oh man!!! Julian!" reacted Mathews, completely hysterical.

"He's a fan" pointed out Evan in a neutral voice "He moved heaven and earth for meeting Scott and Jean and having their autograph"

The athlete cordially shook Anton's hand who indicated the cloakroom by saying to him that his students were getting ready.

"What?" said Duncan "It's not possible, not him"

"At least wait the end of the representation for judging" purposed another student

Duncan didn't answer, too shocked.

_"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the skating rink of Bayville for this representation of the end year spectacle of the Bayville club of ice-skating where Scott Summers and Jean Grey will take part"_ said a commentator.

The group of fans made itself hear.

_"They trained here, and still do, and they come back four years and a half after having begun ice-dancing, three years and a half after having begun competition. They have nineteen and a half years and won the America and the Japanese Grand price, the Lalique Trophy and Eric Bompard's one. They are triple national and world champions and of course Olympics champions in title. They'll make us the honour to present several programs whose news during these two and a half hours of spectacle" _he carried on "_But first of all, would you please, welcome the club of Bayville where, we hope, germinate new seeds of champions!"_

During ten minutes some twenty students of all ages opened the spectacle on a music of Vangelis. They were young but very motivated and they gave the best of themselves. Once finished, they greeted the public and left the rink before Scott and Jean came in.

A thunder of applause and cracklings of flashes welcomed them. They were wearing their costumes of _'the man in the iron mask'_ program with which they intended to start. They had changed in one year: Scott had matured and was even cuter, Jean has also become more beautiful, both of them were henceforth two young adults. The made a turn of the ice for greeting the public before put themselves in position.

The music started, and there, in front of the symbiosis, the purity of the gestures and the expressions, the power rise of the choreography and the true symbolic which came out from it, even the most reticent students of Bayville were amazed. All was light, fast, flexible, slipped, with combined spins, acrobatic lifts and perfectly synchronized solos. The postures, the reversals were connected by running the ones with the others without forgetting Jean's lengthened reversed lift which was now famous. A deep emotion was coming out from it as if they were relating a true story, as if they were skating for each other. The crowd was encouraging them and the two young skaters had the feeling to find themselves back to the Olympic Games.

The commentators didn't say a word during this program, even though they wouldn't bother in any case the skaters, the wiring for sound was made in order to disturb them the least possible.

"The lake of the swan, hum?" said a student at Taryn

She didn't answer, she had to admit that she wasn't expecting that, it had almost touched her and she found it idiot.

"When I think that we weren't even able to do three meters without falling" said another one, remembering there excursion.

Scott and Jean left the place to another representation of the young students and went to change and put their costumes of '_Suzanna'_ in order to begin the exhibition in a strong way. Scott wore a black suit with a grey jacket, Jean a black pant and a glowing top

"There is a great ambiance" said Jean

"Yes and it's not finished" answered Scott which was finishing to re-lace his skates

"That'll be your turn again, children" Anton warned them

"We'll have to become transformers" pointed out the young man "Expected if you…?" he asked Jean

"We'll see, in the cloakrooms we are not prohibited to use our powers"

"Then come, Suzanna" he joked

Their return on the ice was again welcomed especially that this exhibition, the only _'rerun'_ of the evening, had had a lot of success.

Scott pretended to receive a phone call as the music began, and that Jean was obviously teasing him.

_"Ah, what's happening? It seems that Scott has a problem which doesn't seem to please Jean"_ said a commentator playing the game.

But Scott hung up and joined her quickly. In fact their choreography was miming the majority of the lyrics, it was much more dared and released than the preceding program. The key word was relaxation but also originality and audacity. The ringing of the _'phone'_ of Scott resounded again as the singer was indicating it

_"Really, he doesn't have luck, oh oh, Jean doesn't seem to agree it at all..."_ said the woman as Jean sent him back during a spin which Scott ended on his knees.

_"It's the least we can say..." _

Jean seemed clearly irritated. '_Wrong number'_. She joined him as he was sending his portable on the ground with frustration, she made the same with Scott, before making him roll on the ice with her skates and... walking on him.

_"What comedian they are"_ said the commentator laughing as the two skaters set out again in symbiosis.

They skated quickly and realized one vertical lift before a very suggestive musical passage of the compositor. Scott left his grey jacket under the girls' whistles:

_"Wow"_ said the woman

"_The evening seems to have been caught up"_ smiled the commentator as Scott was going behind Jean for a few rather sensual seconds.

"_But Jean is not an easy young woman and she'll show it..."_ let predict the woman before they went back together and that Scott did an almost splits passage as Jean, in front of him, in the position called '_Lunge'_ was pretending to slap him

After a lyric passage letting predict the departure of this ' _Suzanna_ ', they set out again for a reckless ice-skating, finishing the program by one lengthened reversed lift, before Jean left Scott on the ice and turn her back to him

The applause fused **(Video)**

_"Which program of exhibition, it was the Olympics' one and I had really liked it"_ said the woman

_"Yes they let show through their youth and it's very refreshing"_

_"We'll find again the club of Bayville" _

In the steps, between the students, much had fallen from top since the first program and those who had remained insensitive with the aesthetics and the emotion of the free one had sincerely appreciated this role play on ice.

They returned after another pause in the shape of two characters covered with capes before the breath of Dark Vador made itself hear. Both skated quietly in the width of the skating rink until the voice of Yoda said:

"**Here the dark side clouds everything, impossible to see, the future is"**

And there, they pulled out their laser sabres, very realistic toys, for a combat on ice before giving up them when the music changed for Anakin and Padme's theme.

Scott removed his cape, revealing his Jedi costume, and slipped into Jean's one. Like that, against her back, his arms in her handles, they realized several figures before Jean left her cape at her turn.

They did one original horizontal lift from _**'**__Anthem for Liberty'_, then figures on the ice used in _'Time to say goodbye'. _

Then, the chorus part arrived, and everything accelerated it was the combat of Anakin against himself except that there he chose Padme

This program had as much success, overall that it was made on a known, soundtrack. **(Video)**

Scott and Jean eclipsed again to let the place to the ice-skating club. A young female skater presented a program by herself on... the lake of the swans.

Then, under an air of Church, Scott arrived alone on the ice clothed as a…priest. The Lyrics of the music '_Diablo in me'_ by Zucchero started on a sermon of church. Suddenly there was an effect of mini explosion for welcoming Jean's entry, wearing a red tunic on black trousers and small horns in her hair. She was incarnating the devil it was a completely mad program.

She started to make gesticulate Scott as a puppet who would be possessed.

_"This priest of one time is seized by the demon"_ said the commentator

Jean manipulated him like it for a moment before a part of dance in couple.

_"Jean seems definitely diabolic"_ commented the woman.

Jean let slip Scott on his knees, making him gesticulating again before raising him.

_"She'll make Scott insane"_ said the woman.

Jean ended up by tearing Scott's jacket, leaving him in slipover with a flame drawn on it

_"Wow..."_ said the woman before laughing when Jean, her back to Scott, passed her arms behind the nape of his neck so that he made her turn as in a centrifugal machine _"And well here is, Scott is transformed"_

_"He decided to obey to the orders that's for sure_" approved the commentator

_"For the greatest happiness of the young ladies"_ said the woman

The couple was realizing a choreography synchronized before setting out again for a turn

"It's really very well, that moves well, that goes quickly, it's really very well" said the commentator "with these reversals that goes at all speed it's excellent"

Jean did a reversed lift.

_"And their famous lift, by a system of balance move it's Jean who carries Scott"_ declared the woman.

They made a crazy choreography in duet.

"_Here some extremely suggestive swaying walks from Jean and Scott doesn't let him count with the matter"_ said the commentator.

The couple realized a series of original steps work because they were in fact crossing themselves with one hand, considering that they were holding each other by the shoulders, before kneeling down.

_"Would the demon have been defeated or is it a pact of cohabitation which had just been passed?"_ suggested the woman.

Arrived at the end of the width, they encouraged the public to applaud in rhythm, even though it was already the case, and set out again for finishing with one vertical lift ending in a horizontal one

The spectators rose for applauding them. **(Video)**

"_They have an exceptional physical condition for having been able to connect four programs of approximately four minutes each one, just intersected with passages of students of the club of Bayville"_

_"Near of seven hours of training per day, seven days out of seven, that give you enduring"_ said the commentator.

_"Yes indeed. And the crowd is asking for more, do they have something else in their bag?"_

_"I believe so, yes, but before, let's leave the place to the club of Bayville which will close their spectacle"_

After the end of the spectacle of the students, Scott and Jean returned on the rink wearing sands coloured combinations surrounded by cords. A bond of approximately a meter length was connecting them to each other like shackles.

_"Well, would they have become slaves?"_

_"You couldn't fall more right, they present to us this last new program on the soundtrack of ' gladiator'"_

The music began and the choreography with it. All was based on the touching side, the bond connecting them perpetually allowed them to realise new lifts and figures. During the program, Jean released herself then Scott made the same at the end, they were free

The evening ended in signatures of autographs and interviews. Some were related to their private life, young people in love for three years and a half and that since they were sixteen were rare and the media were craving for it, but it was especially on their way of working that they were questioned, their musical choices and all the remainder.

The following day they accompanied, Evan, Rogue, Kurt and Kitty to their handing-over of the diplomas.

----------------------------------------------

All the mutants of the Xavier Institute benefited from the two months of holidays for releasing and assaulting the swimming pool and the lake.

Few before the beginning of term, Scott and Jean took along the students for an excursion in a museum of New York. For not being recognized, Jean used her telepathy and that functioned perfectly. The Phoenix had become a true part of herself and the anguishes she could have had about her at for the most part vanished.

The same day, a new student was to arrive as scheduled. He was seventeen years old but his powers had just appeared.

His parents, Tom and Alicia were discussing with Professor Xavier while Ororo was making him the turn of the building.

"Then, I believe that all is in order, Mister and Mrs Masters" said Charles "I only have some more personal questions about your son to ask to you, that allow me to better know my students"

"We'll answer all your questions" answered Alicia

"You have said to me that you have adopted Alex after an accident where he lost his family, that's right?"

"Yes, he was just five years old the poor one" she agreed

"Does he keep after-effects of it today? Has he a reserved temper, depressive tendencies or maybe does he has nightmares?" asked Charles

"Alex is not reserved no, nor even depressive, he's rather extravert. He was very young when it arrived, but he remembers almost all" answered Tom

"He makes sometimes a nightmare, always the same one, where he sees the parachute of his big brother taking fire"

The Professor, seized by a revelation, opened wide eyes:

"You mean that it was during a private flight that he lost his father, his mother and his big brother?"

"Yes it was in... " began Tom

"Alaska " finished Charles

"How do you know it?" asked Alicia

"Stop me if I'm mistaken: Alex's mother name was Katherine Summers and his father's one was Christopher Summers. The plane took fire during of a storm, a lightning having struck the fuselage. There was only two parachutes and they gave them to their two sons, Alex and Scott Summers"

The two parents stoop opened mouth:

"Yes, it's completely exact" said Tom

"Is it by Telepathy that you?" his wife articulated

"Not at all, I've simply already heard the same history" answered Charles lost in his thoughts "and I can't believe it. he was alive..."

"Who?"

Charles caught another file in his office and a photograph left there, but he didn't show it to them

"My first student is called Scott Summers, he lost his little brother, Alex, his mother and his father twelve years ago in a plane crash"

"It's not possible, Scott Summers, his big brother, died at the time of the accident" answered Alex's adoptive father

"He also believes that Alex didn't survive" retorted Charles "But, unless if I'm mistaken, this little boy on this photograph must remind you something" he said by showing a photograph of family.

"Oh my god, it's Alex!" recognized Alicia immediately.

"It's their last photograph of family" declared Charles.

"Then his big brother is alive? And he's also mutant?" asked Tom

"Yes, you must have seen him or having heard about him. He and Jean Grey made speak a lot about them in the sporting discipline of the ice-dancing"

"Now that you say it... Jean Grey and Scott Summers?" reflected Alicia "the Olympics champions?"

"Yes"

"Then this Scott Summers is the brother of our son?" asked Tom

"Yes"

"My god, Alex has to know it!" exclaimed Alicia

The Professor approved and asked Ororo to bring him back. The young person of almost seventeen years returned in the office and worried by seeing his upset adoptive parents:

"What's up? You cannot help me it's that?" he asked.

"No, that doesn't have anything to do with that" answered his adoptive mother "sit down"

The Professor hand him the photograph and Alex seemed under the shock

"This, they're my parents and my brother, where have you found that?" he asked

"Among all the belongings of Katherine and Christopher Summers which had been placed in a movable guard after the air crash and which are now into the basement of the Institute"

"Why?" Alex insisted, still holding the picture in one hand

"Because it was all the remaining of my first student's family, at least until today..." said the Professor

"What does that mean?"

"Your brother is alive Alex, he lives here" Tom told him

"Scott? It's not possible, it's a bad taste joke, you shouldn't joke with that!" defended the young boy, his adoptive mother incited him to calm down by laying a hand on his shoulder.

The Professor decided to speak about something that maybe Alex was remembering:

"Since he left the coma after this accident he didn't cease to blame himself for not having been able to respect the last wills of your father: to take care of his little brother, you Alex"

"It's what my father said to him " he realized

"This photograph is one of many which Scott has, it was in his file" said Charles "It's by speaking about you that I understood that it was the same tragedy that Scott's one"

"Then he's alive? I mean, really?" asked Alex, still shaken.

"Yes"

"Here?"

"Yes"

"Now?"

"Not now, he accompanies a cultural excursion but he should be their soon" smiled the Professor

"Then he must be approximately... "

"Twenty years old in two months" he answered before searching in a paper heap for pulling out a sporting magazine of the Olympic year "Here is a photograph of last year"

He handed it to Alex who compared it with the old photograph

"It's unbelievable... and moreover I had already seen his photograph, but considering believed him dead and that my memories were rather vague... "

----------------------------------------------

Scott and Jean brought back the band of crazy students to the fold and were almost more exhausted than they, and they did have endurance.

Jean felt immediately something and looked for more by telepathy. It's at this time that Ororo arrived:

"That went well?" she asked

"Nor human nor material losses to deplore" answered Scott, Jean's hand in his.

The weather witch smiled before saying to him:

"The Professor would like to see you in his office, it's very important"

"Ok"

The young man realized that Jean hadn't moved. Without releasing her hand, he turned to her, the interrogative look:

"You'll have to open this door alone Scott" she said to him

"It's that's horrible?"

"If it was a bad news, do you believe that I would let face it alone?" she asked him by offering a smile to him "Go ahead, trust me"

He tried to know what she had perceived, but she didn't let anything filter. She passed her hand on his cheek:

"Go go ahead, don't make him wait"

He briefly kissed her and went to the Professor's office of. Ororo didn't seem astonished, she had guessed that Jean must already knew what was awaiting Scott.

"It won't believe it" she said "even I had trouble to"

"I found my father and my older sister" said Jean "It's formidable that he finds his little brother he believed dead since nearly twelve years"

"Why didn't you accompany him?" asked Ororo

"This moment belongs to him" Jean contented to answer.

She addressed another smile to Ororo before going to the kitchen for joining the majority of the students. She felt through the bond she shared with Scott a powerful emotion coming in as she sat down. She was happy for him, he had found a member of her family and they would have a lot to speak about.

The End

* * *

Marinna Anissina (Russian having obtained French nationality) and Gwendal Peizerat (French, born in Lyon), the French skaters of ice-dancing who I took as a starting point for the programs have had much more trouble in the competitions than what I've describe. They underwent injustices, scampings, critical and I pass from there and that during years. Their originality, their style, their technicality and especially the power and the emotion which they put in their programs started to pay only later, at least with regard to the judges. Yes, because the fans and the crowd had already placed them in their hearts at the point to rise for applauding them or to hoot the judges. It was the old system of notation, a little more corruptible than the current one. In 2002 they became Olympic champions then passed professional. Currently they make exhibitions and in March they pass on the skating rink where I skate, and of course I'll be there; -). 

As opposed to what you could think, no they aren't a couple in the current life but very good friends.

Oh and what wasn't scheduled at all is that, because of their temper, their coach called them "The fire and the ice" lol, like what and I didn't do it purposely, the title of this fic being the French one of the movie _"The cutting edge"._

The program Exhibition program on '_gladiator'_ is skated by Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder, the promising changing of Marina and Gwendal. In my opinion they don't have yet this same passion retransmitted to the public by M&G, not yet this incomparable slips, but they improve and their trainer being the same one than the one of M&G they are in good hands. Unfortunately, the same injustice seems to be following them and had been particularly obvious at the last world championships where the marks had been abnormally low.

I hope seeing one day a system of notation truly just and incorruptible, because, during this whole season and that in all the ice-skating disciplines, some obvious and incomprehensive over high and over low marks had been observed.

Here here

* * *

It was vveeerrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy long fic, when I think that at the origin I thought of making some twenty pages, well, 200 lol 

So much time passed since I wrote this fic (more than 1 year) that I lost interest in it

Sorry for not having worked more on some passages which would have deserved better

I hope that you liked it;)

Wen


End file.
